A hand putting money in a pocket A police warrant officer Chris Caster was sentenced to three years in jail after he was convicted of corruption involving R650. File Picture: Karen Sandison/Independent Media
A Bloemfontein-based police officer has been sentenced to three years direct imprisonment after he was found guilty of corruption by the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court.
The disgraced policeman, Warrant Officer Chris Cassius Caster, 58, had contacted Aubrey Lebesane, 47, and told him that he had a warrant for his arrest and asked for a meeting inorder to assist him with the warrant.
The meeting took place at a KFC near Park Road Police Station, close to where Caster was stationed and a cash bribe of R500 was paid, along with a bank transfer of R150.
On Friday, police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said it had secured the conviction of the police warrant officer after arrested him for corruption.
Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the incident happened on August 26, 2022.
“He further told him that if he does not pay, he will spend the weekend in the holding cells because it was a Friday, and he can only appear in court on Monday,” said Shuping.
Lebesane pleaded with Caster, telling the warrant officer that he only had R500 in his possession, and another R150 in his bank account.
“Warrant Officer Caster wanted more money as he did not want to risk his job for a lousy R650. He, however, took it (the R650) when he realized that it was the only money Lesabane had,” said Shuping.
In the aftermath, Lesabane went to Ipid offices to report the case, and Caster was arrested.
The police officer’s arrest was effected after Ipid had concluded its investigations on the case.
He was found guilty in court and sentenced to three years in prison. He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.
In another case, a police officer based in Pretoria will appear in court next week after she was arrested by Ipid on Sunday for the murder of her husband.
Sergeant Lindiwe Hlungwane has since appeared in court and she was remanded in custody.
The case against the 44-year-old woman was postponed to Tuesday, for a formal bail application.
IOL
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