FORMER POLICE OFFICER APPEARS IN COURT FOR FRAUD
The Vryburg Regional Court postponed the case against Itumeleng Godfrey Setatwe (45), to 30 January 2023, for further trial. Setatwe, who was a police officer attached to the Vryburg stock theft unit, is facing a charge of fraud with an alternative charge of defeating the administration of justice. On count two, he is facing a charge of unacceptable conduct, aligned with the contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities (PCCA) Act, with alternative charges of defeating the administration of justice, with the second alternative charge, to count two being the intentional interference with, hindering or obstruction of investigations.
These charges are dated to 24 November 2020, when Setatwe fraudulently made an affidavit on a murder and robbery case, that was sitting at the High Court of South Africa; North West Division. He did so by using the particulars of another police officer and further forged his signature. He then gave it to the accused person in the case to be presented in court.
He subsequently approached the police officers whose particulars he had fraudulently used and lied that one of the officers at the station used his particulars to make the statement. He then urged this officer to lie, by agreeing that he was the one who made the statement and that the signature on the statement is his. He said they should do this, to protect their colleague. He further coerced this officer to report sick on 25 November 2020, when the matter was appearing in court. This statement was however not accepted by the court. Police investigations revealed that Setatwe and the accused person in the murder case are both originally from Taung in the North West.
The fraud was ultimately discovered by a police officer who was testifying in court when he found the statement suspicious. He then approached the officer whose signature was on the statement, and he relayed the entire story of what Setatwe wanted him to do. Setatwe was subsequently reported and arrested on 25 November 2020 and was granted bail. He was however rearrested on a different case, where he was charged for stock theft, resisting arrest and intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The state is expected to call more witnesses when the matter resumes in January 2023. Meanwhile, the accused will remain in police custody until the next court appearance.
