A Belhar cop has been released on R2000 bail at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court after he was busted for freeing a suspect from holding cells.
Constable Cheslyn Heckrath, 26, was arrested in front of his colleagues on Monday night as the Anti-Corruption Unit pounced on him after receiving a tip-off that he made a busted UWC student send him R1000 via eWallet.
According to a Daily Voice source, the cop got a moerse skrik when he realised he was being arrested.
The source says: “Hy het hom vrek geskrik. This thing started on Friday when his colleagues arrested a suspect.
“He apparently struck a deal with the suspect, who is a student at UWC, to let him go for R1000. He is so slim, he used the phone of the suspect and got him to get someone to send the eWallet details to the suspect’s phone.”
The source says the crafty cop then got the student to conspire with a friend to obtain the cash to avoid being detected on cameras at ATMs.
The source explains: “The friend then came to the station with the money and the officer made the escape plan.
“He told the suspect to request to use the bathroom when the night shift team arrives. He promised to remove the mesh from the windows and that is what he did and went home.
“The night shift took him to the toilet and the student ran away and nobody knew how he got the mesh removed from the outside.”
The source says cops then went hunting for the student and found him asleep in his bed on Saturday morning.
The scared suspect then piemped the police officer and the Anti-Corruption Unit was notified.
Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, confirms the arrest and says the cop has been charged.
He says the 22-year-old student was arrested on Friday on a charge of fraud.
He adds: “Whilst in detention, he was approached by the SAPS member who requested him to pay an amount of R1000 in exchange to be assisted to escape. The suspect made arrangements and received the cash via eWallet.”
The cop appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a charge of corruption and aiding and abetting in escape from lawful custody.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Eric Ntabazalila, says: “The matter is postponed to 30 January. Bail is fixed at R2000 and there are no further conditions to release”.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za