Businesswoman Mmakgomo Doris Ngcobo, 42, appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Ekurhuleni after she was arrested on charges of fraud amounting to R2 million.
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 the fraudulent scheme where the victims were defrauded and left nursing heartaches.
On Thursday, IOL attended the court session where Ngcobo appeared alongside her co-accused, two Ugandan nationals, Derrick Nsubuga, 34, and Nassazi Joan, 31.
“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 different case, and the prosecutor Alistair Appel told the court that the Limpopo woman, Ngcobo 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.”
IOL has been running the scammed series, where numerous South African women have now joined hands, speaking out against the rampant romance scams.
The women who are often breadwinners in their households, are left destitute, emotionally traumatised with some women reportedly committing suicide after being scammed.
In July, IOL reported that a Gauteng mother in her 50s is ruing the day she met the man who became her lover for about a year, before he disappeared with her pension lump sum of R2.8 million, leaving her and her two sons without enough to eat.
In an interview with IOL, Nothando, the mother whose identity is withheld to protect her from victimisation, opened a case at Pretoria North SA Police Service (SAPS), which has been confirmed by Gauteng police.
The woman in her 50s met the charming man who introduced himself as Henry Mugisha. In her mind, it was a chance meeting after Mugisha came to her workplace — a public school in Gauteng in January 2023. He insisted he was looking for a place for his son, but in hindsight, Nothando believes it was all an act.
IOL