Warrant officer Samuel “Saddam” Maropeng, one of the two hawks linked to Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir, had been leading a lavish lifestyle before his arrest, thanks to his various operations  in the criminal underworld.

He is one of two policemen detained for being linked to the shady Czech business man, along with colleague Jeff Nthoroane, 46. The pair were yesterday charged on counts of kidnapping and assault.

For months, detectives from a special police task force had been checking the duo out, investigating their history, family and acquaintances.

They soon found evidence of tropical island trips, multimillion-rand vehicles, multiple houses, and various business interests. Bear in mind that the average warrant officer earns about R160,000 annually.

On Monday they will appear alongside their supposed boss, Krejcir, on charges originating from the alleged kidnapping of an East Rand businessman early in June. According to police sources, the pair were members of a larger group of “enforcers” for Krejcir, among eight other policemen from various units including the Hawks. A police source revealed that:

They are his enforcers and his ‘removers’. The kidnapping and assault are just the first of several crimes allegedly linked to Krejcir that we are scrutinising. What we are uncovering is unprecedented. They are like his private army.

Of course, Maropeng was foolish enough to leave a suspicious social media trail of his lavish exploits. His Facebook page contains pictures of him shopping in Sandton Square with Benni McCarthy with the caption “With my friends, buying clothes to Mauritius. Halala Benni MacCarthy [sic].”

Others images show him alongside jazz singer Judith Sephuma, award-winning singers Lira and Zahara, and the “sushi king”, Kenny Kunene.

There is also a photo of Maropeng sitting comfortably inside an Audi R8 in December 2011. In the photo comments he and co-accused Nthoroane talk about a police tactical unit “defeated by criminals now sticking their noses in other people’s business, the bloody fools, F.k them boet let them run” – believed to make reference to earlier investigations into Maropeng.

So, this guy was clearly very good at being inconspicuous. Just have a look at his house in Vosloorus.

Nothing says: “I’m a trustworthy public servant” like one-way mirrored windows.

[Source : Times Live]