A Johannesburg man whose family was held at gunpoint by men who robbed them of a car and other household goods, says he was shocked to get a call the following day from a police officer who asked for money in exchange for help in getting his stolen goods back.
Joseph Mohoaduba of Mondeor in the south of Johannesburg said he later found out that the person who called him was a police officer based in Kuruman, Northern Cape, and he does not know where he got his information from.
“I don’t understand how an officer in Northern Cape gets hold of a docket in Johannesburg because we gave the information to the police when they attended to the crime scene,” said Mohoaduba. “We honestly think the police are involved.”
I don’t understand how an officer in Northern Cape gets hold of a docket in Johannesburg because we gave the information to the police when they attended to the crime scene
— Joseph Mohoaduba
Mohoaduba was home with his family when two armed men broke into his Mondeor property in March.
“They pointed firearms at my son, who was in his cottage. They took everything in the cottage, including his music equipment. “After that, they drove with my son in his car and dropped him off somewhere in Naturena.”
Mohoaduba said he opened a case at Mondeor police station the same day.
The following day, however, he said he got a call from someone who identified himself as Capt Mahube, telling him he had arrested five people in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, in connection with his house robbery.
He said Mahube informed him that the five were driving his son's vehicle, which also had the stolen loot.
"[He said] I needed to e-wallet R2,000 for a clearance certificate and for the car to be brought back to Mondeor.
“I insisted on giving this person at least R10,000 cash if he would agree to meet and exchange [the goods and car] because I don’t have banking apps, or if he could provide an account number where I could make a direct deposit.
“He responded with, 'you want to get him fired', stating that a direct bank deposit would have been traced back to him.
“He insisted on e-wallet, but upon my resistance, he then deleted the WhatsApp chats. However, a document he had shared consisting of my statement given to the police and identity documents of a police officer, an LL Mahube, had automatically been backed up on my device.”
Mohoaduba said he took that information to the police and was told that the caller had the details which matched those of an officer deployed in Kuruman, Northern Cape, in the firearm division.
“I was told I am the fourth person to come up with a similar complaint,” he said. “He was called while I was at the station and he claimed to be suing another police officer in Pretoria who is using his ID to ask money from victims of crime.”
Sowetan reached out to Gauteng and Northern Cape SAPS on the matter. Gauteng’s Brig Brenda Mudirili confirmed to the publication that the police are investigating a case of house robbery.
Asked about Mohoaduba's allegations, Mudirili said: “SAPS will never call the complainant to pay the amount to receive their property.
“SAPS Gauteng does not have an officer named in your inquiry.”
Meanwhile, Northern Cape's Col Cherelle Ehlers told Sowetan that the SAPS protocol does not allow for interprovincial comments. Ehlers could also not confirm if Mahube is employed as an officer in the Northern Cape or if there are any steps being taken.
“In terms of internal investigations or disciplinary investigations, SAPS does not communicate the merits of the alleged misconduct or outcome in the public domain. Allegations of misconduct or impersonation will be investigated in Gauteng. Kindly contact Gauteng for further comment in this regard,” she said.
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