A man accused of defrauding a former Komani teacher of R1.1-million was denied bail in the East London Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The state has also added three more fraud charges to Joshua Setimba Kyebakolo’s rap sheet as three more women have come forward with claims of having been defrauded by him.
According to the state prosecutor, advocate Wayne Jaftha, the combined value of the amount Kyebakolo is accused of stealing from his four victims is R2-million.
Jaftha said: “Releasing Kyebakolo would not have been in the interest of justice.”
The state withdrew all the charges against Kyebakolo’s co-accused, Linamandla Melaphi, 21, after she turned state witness.
Melaphi is expected to testify against Kyebakolo during the trial.
The Hawks arrested Kyebakolo in Butterworth last month after he allegedly defrauded the 50-year-old former teacher out of R1.1-million.
According to the state he persuaded the woman to resign from her teaching post in 2014, with the promise of “cleansing” her money in order for it to multiply. After she handed over the money, he disappeared.
Kyebakolo’s arrest follows a recent breakthrough by the Serious Commercial Crimes Unit of the Hawks after months of investigation into similar pension scams.
The scam involves bogus sangomas who convince public servants, mostly nurses and teachers, to resign from their jobs and hand over their pension money to the sangoma, who then promises to “cleanse” the money so it can “multiply”. Once the sangoma has the money, they disappear.
In September the Hawks arrested four people believed to be involved in the scam, including Kyebakolo and Melaphi.
The other two – Jerald Mukasa, 44, and Suudi Nsubuga, 34 – are accused of defrauding a 46-year-old Dutywa teacher of more than R800000 of her pension money in June.
They are both in custody.
No bail for pension scam accused
The state has also added three more fraud charges to Joshua Setimba Kyebakolo’s rap sheet as three more women have come forward with claims of having been defrauded by him.
According to the state prosecutor, advocate Wayne Jaftha, the combined value of the amount Kyebakolo is accused of stealing from his four victims is R2-million.
Jaftha said: “Releasing Kyebakolo would not have been in the interest of justice.”
The state withdrew all the charges against Kyebakolo’s co-accused, Linamandla Melaphi, 21, after she turned state witness.
Melaphi is expected to testify against Kyebakolo during the trial.
The Hawks arrested Kyebakolo in Butterworth last month after he allegedly defrauded the 50-year-old former teacher out of R1.1-million.
According to the state he persuaded the woman to resign from her teaching post in 2014, with the promise of “cleansing” her money in order for it to multiply. After she handed over the money, he disappeared.
Kyebakolo’s arrest follows a recent breakthrough by the Serious Commercial Crimes Unit of the Hawks after months of investigation into similar pension scams.
The scam involves bogus sangomas who convince public servants, mostly nurses and teachers, to resign from their jobs and hand over their pension money to the sangoma, who then promises to “cleanse” the money so it can “multiply”. Once the sangoma has the money, they disappear.
In September the Hawks arrested four people believed to be involved in the scam, including Kyebakolo and Melaphi.
The other two – Jerald Mukasa, 44, and Suudi Nsubuga, 34 – are accused of defrauding a 46-year-old Dutywa teacher of more than R800000 of her pension money in June.
They are both in custody.
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