A SENIOR police officer has been arrested after he was caught red handed accepting a bribe from a criminal suspect.
The Lesotho Times understands the cop holds the rank of Senior Inspector and is part of the senior command at Maputsoe Police Station.
His name is known to this publication but has been withheld until his court appearance. He was arrested by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) after they caught him in Maputsoe on Tuesday night, allegedly receiving a portion of a bribe from a suspect.
DCEO's Spokesperson, 'Matlhokomelo Senoko, has confirmed the incident to the Lesotho Times. She said the suspect was caught red-handed receiving a cash bribe from a local security company owner.
Ms Senoko said the police officer was in December part of a team investigating whether the security company was using unauthorised firearms. This after a security guard working for the company was found on duty with an unlicensed firearm and was instantly arrested.
The Senior Inspector then allegedly ordered the owner of the security company to pay him M1500 for the case to disappear. He also allegedly asked for a further M3000 to be paid in three monthly instalments of M1000 each.
However, the security company boss blew the whistle and the top cop was lured into a trap and caught red handed on Tuesday night by the DCEO's anti-corruption unit.
Ms Senoko said the DCEO was working with the police on the matter.
She said the suspect was currently detained at the Police Headquarters in Maseru and is expected to be ferried to Leribe Magistrates Court today for arraignment.
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She said they were currently waiting for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Hlalefang Motinyane, to issue a directive on the case.
"The police went on a crusade to examine whether the security guards from all the security companies in Maputsoe were using licensed guns," Ms Senoko said.
"They discovered that one security guard from a certain security company had a gun which was not registered under that company.
"The police arrested that security guard, and his manager went to the police station to beg for mercy for his employee to be released.
"When he started begging, the Senior Inspector said he should give them M1500, and then another M1 000 per month for three months.
"He gave them M1500 in December and right now he was going to give them the first M1000. DCEO was tipped off by the owner of the company when the Senior Inspector was due to collect the M1000," she said.
She said the arrest was testament to the strong working relationship between the police and the DCEO. She vowed they would weed off dirty officers from their midst.
"Corruption is everywhere, and it is up to us to ensure that we clean it. We are working together with the police so that wherever there is corruption, we take action," she said.
