Phumeza Mbana (40), Brian Kibirige (31) and Nasifu Walakira (31) have appeared before the East London Magistrate court for allegedly defrauding a 61 year old retired teacher of approximately R1,2 million.
The three were arrested by the Serious Commercial Crime unit of the Hawks on 17 August 2017, in Port Elizabeth and appeared before Port Elizabeth’s New Law court on 18 August 2017.
Mbana, Kibirige and Walakira are additional suspects to three other suspects who were arrested in East London on 16 August 2017, for the same crime. The other three are Mohamed Wamabirigwe (55), Nazib Majne (29) and Jimmy Seluwujjo (25).
All six suspects, except for Mbana, are foreign nationals.
It is alleged that a 61 year old woman from Lusikisiki visited a bank in Oxford Street, East London, to withdraw a large amount of money. A manager at the bank got suspicious and contacted the Hawks to investigate the matter as that was not the first time the woman had made a huge withdrawal.
Hawks members arrived at the scene and interviewed the 61 year old who confessed she was withdrawing money for the suspects. She also revealed that she had already given the suspects approximately R1,2 million and that one of them was her traditional healer while another one was her boyfriend.
When the Hawks arrested Wamabirigwe, Majne and Seluwujjo during the same day, Mbana, Kibirige and Walakira managed to escape.
Mbana, Kibirige, Walakira, Wamabirigwe, Majne and Seluwujjo will appear before the East London Magistrate court on 30 August 2017 for formal bail application.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
