Saturday, November 23, 2024 - A South African businesswoman, Mmkgomo Doris Ngcobo and two Ugandan nationals have been arrested for R2 million romance scams.
Ngcobo and her co-accused, Derrick Nsubuga, 34, and Nassazi
Jo appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate' Court in Ekurhuleni on Thursday,
November 21, 2024, on charges of fraud.
Ngcobo was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime
Investigation, also known as the Hawks. She is accused by different victims of
romance scams of being central to the fraudulent scheme where the victims were
defrauded and left nursing heartaches.
“Three fraudsters who were arrested on Friday, November 15,
following the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime investigation into their role in
a fraudulent dating scam are expected back in court on Monday, December 9, for
a bail hearing,” said Gauteng Hawks spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha.
Ngcobo faces a different case, and the prosecutor Alistair
Appel told the court that the Limpopo woman and her co-accused were involved in
romance scams amounting to R2 million.
Magistrate Sheron Soko-Rantao subsequently ruled that due to
the amount involved, the three accused faced a serious schedule five offence.
The Hawks in Gauteng explained on one of the cases faced by
Ngcobo and her co-accused.
“This (arrest) follows a case of fraud that was registered
at Sandton police station in September 2024. The accused are two Ugandan
nationals, Derrick Nsubuga, Nassazi Joan, and a South African citizen, Mmakgomo
Doris Ngcobo, 42.”
It is alleged that in July 2024, the complainant, a South
African woman whose identity is withheld to protect her, met an individual
named "Troy" on dating site Badoo.
“After engaging in conversations, the suspect persuaded the
complainant to continue their dialogue via WhatsApp,” said Ramovha.
“A few days later, they agreed to meet in person. He invited
the complainant to an address in Sandton where he introduced her to a woman
claiming to be his aunt, a traditional healer.”
The "aunt" convinced the unsuspecting woman that
she had bad luck and need a cleansing ritual, to wash away the misfortune.
“During the ritual, the complainant was deceived into
believing her ancestors were advising her to venture into business. Following
the ritual, the victim was convinced to apply for a loan, purportedly to invest
in a business blessed by her ancestors,” said Ramovha.
The woman withdrew R20,000 and transferred R233,000 to an
account, in order to receive her ‘blessings’
Subsequently, the Hawks said the woman was told to apply for
another cash loan before she was mysteriously robbed of the money while she was
on her way to deliver the money to the scammers.
Realising that she had been scammed, the complainant
reported the incident at the Sandton police station.
The case was assigned to the Hawks for an investigation that
resulted in the recent arrests, following a raid at a house in Roodepoort,
Johannesburg.
The Hawks said officers pounced on the scammers who were in
the process of scamming yet another woman.
The trio appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on
Monday, where the case was postponed to Thursday.
The Hawks said further arrests related to this case are
anticipated.
Meanwhile, Gauteng head of the Hawks, Major General Ebrahim
Kadwa has warned residents about the pitfalls of online dating, which has left
numerous women stranded over the years.
“While online dating platforms provide a convenient way to
meet new people, they also present significant risks. As seen in this case,
individuals with malicious intentions often use dating apps to deceive and
exploit victims,” said Kadwa.
“Always verify the identity of the person you are
communicating with, and be cautious of any requests for money or personal
information,” he said.
“The Hawks are committed to protect the public and ensuring
a safe online environment. Should you suspect any fraudulent activity, please
report it to the authorities.”
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