Five of the ten police officers who were arrested after the raid on traders of counterfeit goods in Johannesburg have maintained their innocence.
The officers who are appearing in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court face charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice. They were arrested at the Johannesburg Central police station shortly after the raids two weeks ago.
They were allegedly found in possession of goods seized during the raids.
Lawyers for the five police officers have told the court that the suspects never committed any offence. They argue that they were merely assisting two foreign nationals to take their goods back to the city centre, claiming that the goods were not counterfeit, but second-hand goods.
They say the police who arrested them had predetermined that they had stolen the goods. The lawyers say it will be prejudicial to keep their clients in custody, until the finalisation of the trial.
The bail hearing continues.
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