Cop with stolen minibus probed

2003-11-18 13:04

Pretoria - Claims that a Witbank couple have found their stolen minibus in the possession of a Pretoria policeman are under investigation, police said on Tuesday.

Spokesperson Captain Piletji Sebola said statements were being taken from all the parties.

"We will then decide whether or not to open a criminal and internal probe against the police member."

Piletji confirmed Dave Raath and his wife Ronel claimed to have spotted their stolen minibus on a visit to Pretoria last Friday.

The vehicle was allegedly hijacked in Witbank several months ago. It was apparently easy to identify because of a unique exhaust system Raath had installed.

The couple followed the minibus, and called the police. Members of the flying squad soon arrived and the driver was stopped.

Raath showed police a sticker he had put on the chassis of the vehicle in support of his assertion that he was the rightful owner.

Police checked the new registration numbers of the vehicle, but found nothing amiss. The number plates were, to all indications, legal.

Sebola said the man driving the minibus turned out to be a member of an anti-hijacking police unit. He claimed to have bought the vehicle a few months ago.

"He also had some sales agreement with him. The member was not arrested as we presume he is innocent pending the outcome of our investigation."

Sebola said the probe would begin at the point where Raath reported the alleged hijacking of the minibus.

"We will try to trace the path it has followed until it ended up in the possession of the police member."

The minibus had been impounded for the purposes of the investigation, Sebola said.

- SAPA