Cops mum on 'P'nP breakthrough'

2003-07-12 21:23

Johannesburg - National police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Selby Bokaba said investigation into the Pick 'n Pay food poisoning scare continued.

He said he was not going to comment "on speculation" in The Sunday Times that a SA Police Service investigation team had identified the person who has held the supermarket chain to ransom for the last eight weeks.

"Let us give the investigating team the time to conduct the investigation," Bokaba said.

The Sunday Times reported that it had established from independent sources within the investigation team that a suspect had been identified after a tip-off from a member of the public.

An arrest was expected soon, the report said.

According to the report, the suspect was an unemployed, "very sophisticated", man in his late 30s, who left Pick 'n Pay three years ago "on a sour note".

The man is said to live in Johannesburg, does not have a criminal record, and has three relatives working for Pick 'n Pay.

The report also said that police raided a Johannesburg house on Friday night where material "related to" the initial extortion note was seized.

- SAPA