Once lauded as award-winning officers, three Orlando policemen are now facing charges of corruption, kidnapping and assault.
The three were members of their station's robbery and hijacking unit, which was named the best police task team in Gauteng last year.
They were also instrumental in the recovery of goods stolen from the house of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in Soweto in 2007.
Now they are the subjects of a police investigation.
Superintendent Obed Tsheounyani, Sergeant Vusi Shongwe and Constable David Langa were released on bail of R5 000 each on Monday by the Protea Magistrate's Court.
They stand accused of trying to solicit a bribe of R60 000 from a Dube resident.
On May 11, the officers allegedly gained access to the home of Steven Goniwe by kicking the door open. Goniwe was allegedly taken from his house and forced into a police van before being driven to the police station.
There he was placed in a holding cell where he was allegedly severely assaulted.
The trio allegedly demanded that Goniwe hand over R60 000, which they claim was owed to them by a friend of Goniwe, who is awaiting trial for housebreaking and theft.
When Goniwe refused, he was allegedly beaten again. He also claims that he was released without being charged.
After his release, he went to a doctor for an examination, and to get a medical report, which he used to lay charges against the three officers.
It took the police a month to conduct their investigation, and last Friday they pounced on Tsheounyani while he was at work.
After being told about the allegations against Tsheounyani and the others, the Orlando police station commissioner promised to hand over Shongwe and Langa to the Organised Crime Unit, which is in charge of the investigation.
Tsheounyani spent the weekend in the Krugersdorp police station's holding cells.
He was about to make his first court appearance in the Protea Magistrate's Court when the investigating officer, Superintendent William Maake of the West Rand Organised Crime Unit, was told that Shongwe and Langa had arrived to hand themselves over.
Shongwe and Langa were accompanied by their lawyers when they arrived at court and were listed as the co-accused of Tsheounyani. All three are due back in court on July 23.
Last month, a senior police officer at the same station and second-in-command of its crime prevention unit was arrested for alleged corruption.
Superintendent Matthew Khaile was detained on May 14 after he allegedly tried to solicit a bribe from a resident, who reported him to the police.
The police set a trap for the officer and photocopied the money that was to be used in the sting operation. The complainant was told to wait for Khaile to collect the money.
The complainant handed over the money to him and he placed it in the cubbyhole in his car. The police pounced and arrested him. Khaile is also due in court on July 23.
All four are still performing their policing duties and have not been suspended from duty.
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