Johannesburg - A false prophet and alleged fraudster, 33, appeared in court yesterday.
The police said that in September last year, the victim, who was a police colonel in Limpopo, was dating a foreign national man who introduced the victim to the suspect as his uncle, who also masqueraded as a prophet.
According to SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Matimba Maluleke, the boyfriend and uncle allegedly persuaded the victim to resign so that they could start a flourishing business.
"The victim indeed resigned in November last year, and when she received her pension pay of R3.7 million in February this year, she allegedly handed it to the suspect so that he could pray for a successful business."
The victim was allegedly sent on a holiday for a few days by her boyfriend, and when she returned to the boyfriend’s apartment to check on the progress, she unfortunately found that he had already vacated," said Maluleke.
The former police officer tried to reach the boyfriend on the phone, but he was unreachable.
"That’s when she realised that she had been scammed and reported the matter to the police. The Polokwane-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Investigation members were entrusted with the investigation of the case. After conducting a thorough investigation, the suspect was successfully traced and arrested at Burgersfort police station, where he was detained for allegedly committing a similar offence. The search for the other outstanding suspect is continuing," said Maluleke.
Meanwhile, another police officer has been killed, Warrant Officer Johannes Cornelius du Randt. The suspects in his murder, Fikile du Preez Ramotsoenyane, 42, and Nkululeko Antonio, 47, made a brief appearance before the Vanderbiljpark Magistrate’s Court on Monday for possession of stolen property, possession of police uniforms, and possession of unlicensed ammunition, and later appeared before the Frankfort Magistrate’s Court on the same day for the killing of Du Randt.
According to the SAPS, both men were arrested by the Fezile Dabi District Trio Task Team during the past weekend. Ramotsoenyane was arrested at a residence in Vanderbiljpark, where he was found in possession of a suspected stolen vehicle, an Isuzu bakkie with police markings, police bulletproof vests, police uniforms, and an unlicensed R5 rifle.
"Antonio was arrested in Soweto on Saturday, June 10, 2023. This is the result of a spate of robberies committed in Cornelia, Free State, including a truck hijacking that occurred on the N3 highway.
"The matter was then referred to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit based in Bethlehem for further investigation. Preliminary investigation linked the duo to three cases tracing back to the murder of Warrant Officer Du Randt," said an SAPS statement.
The statement further said that the matter was adjourned and the two accused would appear again in the Frankfort Magistrate’s Court on June 20, 2023, for both to appoint their legal representatives.
"Ramotsoenyane also made a brief appearance in Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on June 12, 2023, for possession of stolen property, possession of police uniforms, and possession of unlicensed ammunition. He will be appearing again in the same court on June 19, 2023," added the statement.
The Star