Forum for South Africa (FOSA) leader, Tebogo Mashilompane, has welcomed the arrest of 10 police officers in Edenvale, east of Johannesburg. The officers are facing charges of fraud and corruption.

They are accused of failing to register items seized during a raid in June. During their arrest, authorities recovered some of the missing items — including R45,000 in cash.

It’s alleged that the officers failed to book in items that were seized during a raid in June. Some items, including R45 000 in cash, were recovered during the arrest.

Six of the arrested officers are from the Ekurhuleni Metro police department, while the other 4 are South African Police Service (SAPS) members from Tsakane police station.

Mashilompane has called on the authorities to impose harsher punishment on the arrested officers.

“It is embarrassing that the very same Metro Police and SAPS members expected to arrest criminals and uphold the law, find themselves on the wrong side of the law because of corrupt minds and being greedy,” he says.

Mashilompane says this type of behaviour by law enforcers isn’t new and must be condemned.

“FOSA calls for a harsher punishment for all 10 law enforcement officers and we also call for a clear policy on the protection of whistleblowers if indeed we want to fight corruption,” he adds.

VIDEO | 10 police officers arrested for alleged theft and corruption