Thohoyandou police arrested a 39-year-old police inspector, Robert Mutavhatsindi, on Tuesday afternoon and charged him with corruption. His arrest follows an incident that took place at the Thohoyandou Shopping Centre on Monday afternoon.

According to the police spokesperson in the Vhembe area, Supt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi, a local businessman was on his way to deposit cash at the bank in Thohoyandou when the incident occurred. He was forced to stop at gunpoint by a white Toyota Corolla along the way, at the Vondwe traffic intersection.

He was robbed of cash amounting to R88 000 at gunpoint. The robbers drove in the direction of Thohoyandou. At that stage, the police were alerted and they started chasing the suspects. Realizing that they were about to be arrested, one of the suspects jumped out of the car, next to the Tusk Venda Casino hotel, and started running in the direction of the Thohoyandou Shopping Centre.

He was holding a bag containing the robbed cash. Members of the police dog unit chased him and located him somewhere in the shopping centre. The other suspects proceeded with their journey and abandoned their car at the Ndou Mall parking area in Thohoyandou.

The suspect (the police officer) later took the alleged robber to the Thohoyandou police station, together with the recovered cash. When counting the recovered cash, the police discovered that about R47 000 was missing. After thorough investigations, the members of the anti-corruption unit arrested Mutavhatsindi on Tuesday afternoon.

He appeared in the Thohoyandou magistrate’s court on Wednesday and the case was remanded to a later date. The police are investigating the matter further.