Norwood Police Station Commander arrested for theft and fraud

Norwood Police Station Commander arrested for theft and fraud! Colonel Logan Govender, the station commander of the Norwood police station, has been arrested by the Gauteng Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit. The senior officer is facing serious charges, including theft, fraud, and defeating the ends of justice, all related to the alleged illegal confiscation of goods worth R165,000.

The arrest has sent shockwaves through law enforcement circles, raising questions about corruption within the police force.

The Alleged Crime

The incident that led to Govender’s dramatic fall from grace dates back to August 21, 2020. On that day, he allegedly orchestrated a bogus police operation, targeting a local business and confiscating stock under false pretenses.

According to the official police report, Govender approached a shop owner, accompanied by a civilian named Oelof Abraham Du Plooy. Du Plooy posed as an expert in illicit cigarettes, claiming to represent the Adams and Adams Company.

Norwood Police Station Commander

The pair reportedly told the shop owner that they had received a tip-off from Crime Intelligence regarding the sale of illegal substances at the establishment.

Upon arriving at the store around 10 a.m., Govender introduced himself, conducted a search, and seized a large quantity of Al Fakher molasses flavours, valued at R165,000.

A Major Red Flag

While confiscations of illicit goods are a routine police operation, this particular case took an unusual turn.

• No arrests were made – The shop owner was not taken into custody, despite the supposed discovery of illegal products.
• No formal charges were laid – There was no police docket or official case registered at the time of the raid.
• The goods vanished – The confiscated items were booked at SAPS Johannesburg Central, but they were handed over to Du Plooy instead of being kept as evidence.

Govender and Du Plooy claimed that the goods had to be sent for laboratory testing, but their story soon fell apart.

The Investigation Unfolds

The shop owner, deeply concerned about his missing stock, went to the Norwood police station the next day to inquire about the confiscation.

To his shock, he discovered that no official record of the operation existed.

Determined to get answers, he visited Adams and Adams, where he was further stunned to learn that Du Plooy was not an employee of the firm.

Realising he had been scammed, the shop owner took a bold step—he filed an official complaint and opened a case against Govender and Du Plooy.

This prompted the Gauteng Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit to launch a full-scale investigation.

After gathering substantial evidence, the case was handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who authorized the decision to prosecute both suspects.

The Arrest and Court Appearance

On Tuesday, March 12, 2025, officers from the Anti-Corruption Unit arrested Govender during a work meeting in Protea, Soweto.

The arrest was executed swiftly and without incident as part of a larger crackdown on corruption within SAPS.

Govender appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court, where he was granted bail set at R3,000. His co-accused, Du Plooy, is also expected to appear in court soon.

What Happens Next?

The case has been remanded to May 29, 2025, when Govender and Du Plooy will face formal prosecution.

Meanwhile, the police force has vowed to root out corruption, with the Anti-Corruption Unit intensifying internal investigations into similar cases of abuse of power and misconduct.

Govender’s fall from grace serves as a stark warning that no one is above the law, not even those tasked with upholding it.