Three men are expected in court this week after allegedly swindling a woman out of R3 million in a devastating online romance scam.
The woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, believed she had found love online with a man she knew as “Mark Hermanus.” They met on Facebook, and their connection quickly grew deeper through chats on WhatsApp. Over time, “Mark” shared emotional stories, eventually telling her his son was ill and needed urgent medical treatment. Desperate to help the man she thought she loved, she transferred large sums of money into two separate bank accounts—ultimately parting with R3 million.
But the man she had trusted didn’t exist.
The case was reported to the authorities, and an investigation was launched by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation. The first arrest was made in Cape Town in October last year. Gabriel Okori, a Nigerian national, was granted bail and has since been attending court on charges of fraud and theft.
A second suspect, Justice Motsamai Khanyapa, was arrested in March in Orange Farm, Johannesburg. He too was released on bail.
Most recently, a third suspect, Thabo Derrick Mnguni, was arrested in late June. All three are now expected to appear before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. Mnguni is due to apply for bail during the proceedings.
Investigators believe the funds stolen from the victim were deposited into accounts linked to Khanyapa and Mnguni.
While commending the thorough work done by the investigative team, officials have urged members of the public to be extremely cautious when engaging in online relationships. Scams like this have become alarmingly common, often targeting emotionally vulnerable people and draining their life savings.
The victim in this case is just one of many who have fallen for similar traps—losing not only money but their trust in people. Her story serves as a reminder to verify online identities and to be wary of any requests for money, no matter how convincing they seem.