2 Westbury police officers arrested for allegedly burying murder evidence
11 October 2018
Two alleged corrupt police officers were arrested on Wednesday night by a multi-disciplinary task team including the Hawks, the police's tactical response team and public order policing unit deployed in Westbury.
National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said Warrant Officer Wynand Steyn, 45, and Sergeant Tom Keet, 42, are facing charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice.
"They were arrested following the murder of 21-year-old Bradley Sauls, who was gunned down while walking in Westbury on July 24," Naidoo said.
Minister Bheki Cele and National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole visited the community following complaints of drug dealing, corruption and crime in general.
Since then there has been increased visibility of law enforcement personnel in the area including Crime Intelligence police officers, among others. An investigative task team was also appointed as part of the stabilisation intervention.
Among other cases, the multi-disciplinary investigative task team was tasked with investigating Sauls' murder.
Internal investigation
The team identified a group of suspects through intensive investigation and on October 5, four suspects were arrested in connection with the murder.
The four suspects, Taiton Palmer, 73, Dennis Oliphant, 25, Desmond Oliphant, 37, and Keenan Ebrahim, 34, appeared in court on Monday this week. They have all been remanded in custody until October 18.
Naidoo said investigations were continuing and the team arrested a fifth suspect on Wednesday.
The police officers are alleged to have concealed crucial evidence after having arrived first on the scene.
The fifth suspect and the two police officers are expected to appear in court on Thursday.
The arrest of the two police officers brings to seven the number of people arrested in connection with Sauls' murder.
Naidoo said an internal investigation of the police officers was running concurrently.
