PRETORIA, May 9 (NNN-SANEWS) — The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) has made significant inroads in apprehending individuals involved in high-profile cases, thus ensuring accountability and justice for victims.
This is according to DPCI Head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, who briefed media on the successes and progress made with regards to high profile cases in the fourth quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
He said the DPCI remains committed to its mandate of investigating, preventing and combating national priority offences without fear, favour or prejudice.
A total of 656 suspects appeared before the various courts in the country during the fourth quarter. Of these arrests, 450 (74%) are South African, whereas 157 (26%) are foreign nationals.
“Of the 656 suspects, the Serious Organised Crime Investigation secured 364, the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation secured 220 while the Serious Corruption Investigation secured 72 suspects before court,” General Lebeya said.
He said most of the arrests were effected in Gauteng with 139, North West with 99, KwaZulu-Natal with 88, Eastern Cape and Free State provinces with 73 suspects each.
“During these arrests, 395 firearms and 1 746 rounds of ammunition were seized. Seven clandestine drug laboratories were dismantled with drugs worth a total street value of R23,361,125.
“During this same period, the Directorate secured convictions for 239 accused persons. A total number of 266 (253 natural and 13 juristic) accused persons including those convicted in the previous quarters were sentenced during the quarter under review.
“Of the 253 sentenced natural persons, 139 (55%) are South Africans while 114 (45%) are foreign nationals. Most of these convictions and sentences were secured in the Gauteng province,” General Lebeya said.
According to the General, of these convictions, the Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) secured 157, Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI) secured 73 and Serious Corruption Investigation (SCI) secured nine.
“To ensure that crime does not pay, the Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI) has contributed towards the issuing of a combined 102 freezing and forfeiture orders amounting to R418,938,340.14.
“Of these orders, 56 were preservation orders with a monetary value of R370,952,439.49, with 45 forfeiture orders with a monetary value of R14,985,900.65 and one restraint order with a monetary value of R33,000,000,” he said.
General Lebeya said an amount of R19,104,419.50 has been deposited into the Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA).
The Digital Forensic Investigation Section of the PCSI component of the DPCI finalised the extraction and analysis of data evidence from 324 electronic devices within 90 days during the quarter.
Touching on police murders by criminals, General Lebeya said an attack on police officials was an assault on society and an attack on the State.
“We categorised the killing of police officials as that national priority offence that requires the attention of the DPCI,” General Lebeya said.
During this period, 22 police officials were murdered of which 16 were off duty while six were on duty. He said 50% of these murders happened in Gauteng.
With regard to cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies, General Lebeya said during the fourth quarter, 50 incidents of cash-in-transit robberies were received by the Directorate.
“A total number of 28 suspects excluding 10 who died in exchange of gunfire with the police were arrested. It is comforting that no one was released on bail.
“Over and above this, 36 suspects were arrested in CIT-related cases making a combined number of 64 arrest for CIT and related crime,” Lebeya said. — NNN-SANEWS