An eighth police officer has been implicated in allegedly extorting shop owners in Milnerton. The officer was apprehended in Harare on Monday evening.

The additional suspect is part of the unit for public order policing, like the seven other police officers arrested a day prior.

The allegations centre around two shops owned by Chinese nationals, from which the officers, along with a civilian suspect, reportedly extorted an undisclosed sum of money, allegedly demanding it as “protection money.”

The SAPS Anti-Corruption Unit and provincial detectives made the first arrest on Sunday evening. These officers were on duty at the time.

The suspects are expected to appear before the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. They face charges of extortion, business robbery and corruption, says SAPS Western Cape spokesperson, André Traut.

“Members of Provincial Detectives also took three civilians, one male who is a former police officer and two females in for questioning relating to the same incident,” says Colonel André Traut, SAPS Western Cape spokesperson.

The Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, condemned the involvement of these officers in the alleged crime, stressing that such behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated within the SAPS.

“Offenders have no place in the SAPS and will be dealt with in accordance with the SAPS disciplinary regulations.”

The provincial MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, says she is gravely concerned by this incident

“I take a dim view of growing indications of brazen police complicity in crime. If these allegations are prover true in a court of law, they must be dealt with accordingly. Such actions, if proven, cannot stand. The Western Cape Government supports the work done by the SAPS to rid our society of crime.”

This comes shortly after four Cape Town officers were arrested for an alleged R20 million jewellery heist in Llandudno.

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*This article was updated to include developments and comment by the Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety Department