Two Ugandan men have been remanded in custody after facing charges of fraud for attempting to deceive their landlord into giving up his inheritance. The accused, Bosco Owino (45) and Robert Ssebataazi (48), appeared before the Nelspruit District Court on Monday following their arrest on Friday in Sonheuwel, Nelspruit.
The arrests followed an investigation by the Mpumalanga Hawks, who acted on a tip-off, in collaboration with the South African Police Service’s Nelspruit Detectives and Divergent Security. The suspects allegedly promised the landlord that they could multiply his inheritance money, convincing him to invest in chemicals to remove dye from banknotes.
According to Thandi Tshabalala, spokesperson for the Hawks in Mpumalanga, the landlord was also persuaded to purchase the chemicals in exchange for a share of the proceeds. However, the landlord grew suspicious and reported the matter, prompting the Hawks to intervene.
A subsequent search and seizure operation led to the discovery of a large bundle of fake money, three bottles of chemicals, and a steel safe at the suspects’ residence. It is also alleged that the pair targeted women in government positions, persuading them to resign and cash out their pensions in order to “multiply” their savings.
The case was postponed to Wednesday for further investigation and the possibility of a bail application. Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi confirmed the postponement.
Major General Nicholas Jacobus Gerber, the provincial head of the Hawks, has warned the public to be wary of such fraudulent schemes. “These individuals are ruthless and will stop at nothing to steal your money. There is no chemical or process that can double your funds,” he stated, urging anyone encountering similar scams to report them to the authorities immediately.