Friday, November 22, 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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