Six Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department constables who were arrested yesterday on charges of robbery and defeating the course of justice will appear in court today. It is alleged that officers aged between 31 and 39 years old stopped the victim, a Congolese national, for an alleged traffic offence a year ago and asked for his identification documents to confirm if he was legal in the country, which he did.

ROBBERY AND EXTORTION

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Lizzy Shuping, said the officers went to verify the victim's documents at a Home Affairs branch in Boksburg. "After the verification process, they drove with him to his house in one of the estates in Boksburg, where they searched the house without a search warrant and confiscated an amount of money found in the premises,"Shuping said.

TARGETED

The victim, who did not want to be named, told eNCA that he believes that he was targeted because he is a foreign national. He said he was handcuffed by the officers, who went on to ransack his house and took everything he had on him, including his cellphone. "They took all the money I had, R120 000, and gave me an empty bag. They told me to leave or they would shoot me,? he added. The victim said he was traumatised for months after the incident. "I just want justice. When I see the traffic officers, I don't feel protected. What happened to me must be happening to other people, and it needs to stop."