The Northern Cape Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Unit pounced on six suspects and charged them with fraud and extortion. The arrest of suspects was subsequent to a long investigation.
It is alleged that the suspects targeted unsuspecting victims, extorted money from them. The suspects impersonated police officers, law enforcement officers and high ranking government officials.
Police arrested four suspects, amongst them a Pastor from a local church in Modderriver. The alleged Pastor also impersonated a traffic officer or an official from the office of Traffic Department, and he would solicit bribes from unsuspecting members of the community.
One of the suspects, pretended to be a tender official from Transnet and in the processes would take money from unsuspecting people and promised to award them tenders.
Three of the four suspects who were arrested yesterday are remanded in custody until the 29 September 2017 for formal bail application while one female suspect was released on bail.
Two suspects one of which is a civilian who posed as a traffic officer, including a traffic officer in the Phokwani Municipality were arrested last week at Jankempdorp.
It is believed that both suspects accosted motorist with traffic fines and took money as if they are going to pay traffic fines which were issued against them. Only to find that the suspects were taking the money for themselves, without paying traffic fines at the traffic offices.
The traffic officer was released on bail, after appearing briefly before the Jankempdorp Magistrate’s Court.
More arrests are imminent, as we are on the trail of other suspects. Any person who believe to be the victim as per this modus operandi, are requested contact the investigating officers, Captain Essie Esterhuysen at 0824691813 and Warrant Officer Bongani Msuthwana at 0769117033
We suspect that the suspects could be part of a syndicate who are operating from town to town defrauding people from millions of rand.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
