Aconstable recently sacked from the police service, Nomthandazo Patience Pali (41), is set to face the full might of the law together with her accomplice, Lydia Simayile (29). Their trial is set to start on 22 August in the Virginia Regional Court.
The pair face charges of corruption and extortion following their arrest in March. The sacked officer faces an additional charge of defeating the ends of justice, having already being found guilty of misconduct.
Capt. Stephen Thakeng, police spokesperson in the Goldfields, said Pali had been dismissed after the departmental disciplinary committee found her guilty for contravention of the SAPS Code of Conduct and breach of oath of officer. She was fired on 26 June after completion of an internal hearing.
Thakeng said the two women were still in custody after numerous unsuccessful bail applications. Yet another application for bail was turned down during their appearance on 15 July.
Pali allegedly colluded with Simayile to extort money from a man who Simayile had opened a rape case against. Apparently, the man has had an affair with Simayile.
Thakeng said preliminary investigation revealed the women had planned to extort R15 000 from the man.
“The woman demanded the money in order to drop a rape case she had opened against the man,” he said.
Thakeng said upon receiving information the police’s anti-corruption unit set up an entrapment that led to the arrest of both women for extortion.
“The police confiscated R5 000, found in the office of the constable.”
Thakeng said further investigation revealed that at the time of the arrest Simayile had already been working with Pali to extort cash from the man she had accused of rape.
