A third suspect aged (53), has been apprehended by members of the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation on Monday, 23 June 2025 for theft and fraud of over R3 million.
The Head of the Hawks in Gauteng, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa has commended the meticulous investigation conducted by the team and has cautioned members of the public to be vigilant and not fall for such scams.
The complainant in the matter alleges that she met what she thought was a white male on Facebook by the name of Mark Hermanus, the two exchanged cell phone numbers and began chatting on instant messaging (Whatsapp). While the pair were getting to know each other, ‘Mark Hermanus’ informed the complainant that his son was sick and asked the complainant to lend him money for his sons medical bills, which escalated to over R3 million in which the suspect promised to pay back once he had paid all his sons medical bills and never did. The complainant was given several bank accounts to deposit money into, bank accounts which belongs to the second and third suspects.
The matter was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, which led to the arrest of the first suspect who was traced and identified as Gabriel Okori, a Nigerian national in Cape Town on 03 October 2024. In October 2024, Okori was granted bail of R5000.00. The second suspect Justice Motsamai Khanyapa was arrested on, 05 March 2025 in Orange Farm, Johannesburg South and was granted bail of R1000.00 on, 20 March 2025 by the Pretoria Magistrates Court.
Hawk’s Spokesperson Warrant Officer Thathohatsi Mavimbela said the third suspect in the matter is expected to appear before the Pretoria Magistrate Court on Wednesday, 25 June 2025. The State to oppose bail.