THREE police officers who arrested a couple for public indecency and then attempted to extort a bribe from them to drop the charges, were convicted in the Empangeni Regional Court on Tuesday.
Cnst Siphosethu Myesa (33), Cnst Lukhululeko Mndunge and W/O Justice Gumede (44) were apprehended by the Hawks in a sting operation in 2013.
According to evidence in court, a couple was being intimate in the car near Empangeni Central Park when they were approached by the accused who first demanded R3 500 in return for their release and later dropped the sum to R2 000.
Investigating Officer, W/O Ryno Louw, testified that the police money was recovered by the Hawks from their marked police vehicle.
The accused placed all the evidence of the State witnesses in dispute and their defense asked the court for an acquittal following the closing of the State case, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to place the accused on their defence.
The Section 174 application was however refused and the men were subsequently found guilty.
The matter has been remanded for sentence on 3 March.
