Coronavirus inspires swindlers and impersonators

An alleged swindler with his sights on a R6 million bounty thought he had a North West executive mayor and council speaker eating out of the palm of his hand, but it all came crashing down when police interrupted their meeting.

The drama unfolded at the Rustenburg local municipality’s Civic Centre on Friday when the man, posing as a director of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with links to the United Nations (UN), allegedly tried to sell fraudulently acquired personal protective equipment (PPE).

According to David Magae, the municipality’s spokesperson, the 26-year-old man who claimed to be working for an organisation called Africa Model United Nations, promised to supply PPEs on condition that the municipality pays a cash advance amounting to over R6 million.

He said the suspect, who has a pending case of fraud in Gauteng, was nabbed while doing a presentation to the executive mayor, Mpho Khunou, and Council Speaker Shirley Mabale-Huma.

“The suspect claimed to be working for the (NGO) which has links with the United Nations (UN) and supplies personal protective equipment (PPE) which he intended to donate to RLM. The suspect also committed to supply 70% of health materials on condition that the municipality pays in advance cash amounting to over R6 million. It was at that point that the executive mayor and the speaker became suspicious,” Magae said.

He said this raised red flags and that the municipality involved the police when a background check on the NGO yielded no tangible information.

“The arrest follows meetings that came about through the introduction of the suspect via a ward councillor to the executive mayor and council speaker. The man attempted to sell fraudulently acquired face masks…,” he said.

Magae said they appreciated the police’s swift response and action to ensure that the man who wanted to defraud the municipality was apprehended.

“It remains the RLM’s priority to spend the taxpayers money wisely while deriving value for money in all transactions,” he said.

The suspect, who was found in possession of a fraudulent essential service permit, is also facing charges of contravening Disaster Management Act lockdown regulations, as he had failed to confine himself to his place of residence, and moved between provinces.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo confirmed the incident but could not immediately give details.

The alleged fraudster is expected to appear in the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court on a charge of fraud on Tuesday.

Lockdown inspires criminals to play dress-up

Meanwhile, several other fraudsters and scammers have been nabbed elsewhere in the country.

The police in Gauteng arrested five people who were caught impersonating officials of the law and emergency services personnel.

The police were notified by members of the community about a suspicious dreadlocked “soldier”,  and others who impersonated a police officer and an emergency service employee.

Gauteng police spokesperson, Captain Mavela Masondo said a 25-year-old dreadlocked man in SANDF army uniform who was seen walking along Voortrekker Street in Heildelberg attracted the attention of onlookers who called the police.

The man was questioned by the police and found to not be a member of the SANDF. He was charged for impersonating a member of SANDF and being in possession of suspected stolen property.

In another incident, a 40-year-old man was arrested after he was found driving a vehicle fitted with red lights and a siren. Masondo said when the police stopped and searched the man and the vehicle they found an unlicensed firearm with ammunition, as well as traffic cones belonging to the South African Police Service. The man was unable to produce proof that he was an emergency service employee.

He was then arrested for impersonating an emergency service worker, possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition, as well as possession of suspected stolen property.

Masondo said further arrests were made in Tshwane after the police received information about two women who were seen dressed in police uniforms and a man who committed a common robbery. This was after a vehicle was spotted in Soshanguve matching the description given after a lookout was conducted by the police.

On investigation, the police found one of the females was a former police reservist while the other female and male were members of the community. Police uniforms, police documents, trays of eggs, and chickens were found inside the vehicle. The suspects were charged with impersonating police officers, possession of suspected stolen property, and common robbery.

Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela said: “It is a very serious offense to impersonate a law enforcement officer. These suspects deserve a hefty sentence that will send a strong message to other criminals who tarnish the names of the hard-working law enforcement and emergency service employees.”

– siphom@citizen.co.za

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