Johannesburg - A private investigator firm, Royal Investigations, was left stumped after a BMW, they handed in as evidence in a romance scam case, was completely stripped while in police custody.
The luxury vehicle was booked in at the Lenasia SAPS impound in July 2022 and was meant to be sold to help the survivor of the romance scam, recover some of the money she was duped out of.
The woman was allegedly scammed out of R2 million over six months by an alleged high-ranking member of the Black Axe syndicate, Roland Enuwese Esosa.
He is now in police custody and awaiting trial and is believed to be the owner of the BMW.
The Black Axe syndicate is believed to be very active in Kempton Park and Smith Street in the Joburg CBD as well as in Parklands, Table View and Somerset West in the Western Cape.
Lead investigator at Royal Investigations, John Alexander said the firm will now support the complainant in filing a civil lawsuit against the SAPS and that “such criminal actions must not be allowed to escape justice”.
“The SAPS 13 camp is responsible for safeguarding evidence and this form of theft likely involves the complicity or direct participation of police officials. Police officers should not be immune to accountability. Corruption is widespread, and we, as citizens, depend on these very officers to safeguard us. We are seeking legal advice to pursue a civil case against SAPS. The vehicle was their responsibility,” Alexander said.
He added that in the pursuit of justice, it is imperative that evidence is handled with the utmost care and preserved diligently.
“A distressing incident has come to light, revealing a sad reality within SAPS impound camps. A case involving the confiscation and impoundment of a BMW, originally intended as crucial evidence, has resulted in its unfortunate and complete stripping within police custody.
“This shocking revelation raises serious concerns about the preservation of evidence and the integrity of the justice system,” he said.
On July 20 last year, Royal Investigations were involved in an arrest that led to the confiscation of the BMW and the vehicle was subsequently booked into the Lenasia Vehicle Impound Station (VIS). The company said it took the initiative to document its condition and capture photographs and videos of the vehicle.
“This responsible action aimed to ensure the preservation of evidence vital to the ongoing case. Fast forward 12 months later, the shocking truth emerged. When authorities revisited the impound camp, they found the BMW stripped down to its bare essentials, with only remnants remaining. What was once a piece of crucial evidence had been reduced to a hollow shell. The very institution responsible for safeguarding the vehicle had failed in its duty to preserve the evidence intact.”
The incident of the stripped BMW points to systemic failures within the SAPS impound camps,” Alexander added.
Royal Investigations said the lack of security measures, inadequate oversight, and potential negligence have allowed such a brazen act of evidence tampering to occur.
Questions now arise about the protocols in place for evidence preservation and the effectiveness of monitoring mechanisms.
“Are SAPS members involved in stripping vehicles, the very vehicles they were meant to preserve?” Alexander asked.
SAPS spokesperson, Captain Mavelo Masondo said a case of theft from a motor vehicle was opened at Lenasia Police Station and the investigation is under way.
“Our preliminary investigation revealed that the computer box, front lights and bumper were missing on the car.
“Hence police have opened a case of theft from motor vehicle for investigation,” Masondo said.
The resale value of the BMW is estimated to be R350 000.