Former Western Cape police commissioner Arno Lamoer has pleaded guilty to one corruption charge in the Western Cape High Court.
Lamoer, along with tow truck company owner Salim Dawjee, brigadiers Darius van der Ross, Sharon Govender and her husband Colin Govender, face 109 charges of corruption, racketeering and money laundering involving R1.6 million.
Dawjee allegedly paid them for favours and all of them initially pleaded not guilty.
But, in an about-turn on Thursday, Lamoer, who served in the police service for over 35 years, made a series of admissions in court papers.
He said he befriended accused number one Salim Dawjee more than 25 years ago when he
was stationed at Manenberg Police Station.
Between December 2011 and September 2013, he admitted he “wrongfully and unlawfully” made loans from Dawjee with the agreement that they would be paid back “on request or after my retirement from SAPS”.
Accused 6, former Brigadier Kolindren Govender, also changed his plea of not guilty to guilty on one count of corruption.
He admitted in court papers that between November 2011 and October 2013, he received R24 601,44 from Dawjee, who is his cousin, and his two companies in exchange for special treatment.
The money was used for the payment of pool maintenance, vehicle hire, petrol expenses and two flight tickets.
The case resumes on Monday, when Dawjee is expected to plead.