THE police have made a breakthrough and arrested a suspect who allegedly swindled members of the public about E1 million in the name of ‘BakaNgwane’.
Some of the conned people were reportedly promised high political positions by the suspect who sometimes referred to himself as umntfwanenkhosi although insiders said he used different names including Khitsika and Shiyabedla.
Impeccable sources said one of the swindled victims was a former senator who had allegedly been promised a position by the suspect.
The former senator was reportedly approached by the suspect who called her on the mobile phone, by her name indicating he knew her.
He reportedly then enticed the former senator about an undeclared position.
She is said to have been made to pay about E22 000 to the suspect under the premise that he would assist her get appointed into the position. However, this never happened, so the former senator reported the matter to the police.
This publication gathered that while the suspect had been reported to the police around the country from as far back as 2022, his most recent strike happened in Manzini in October where he allegedly made away with E500 000.
Sources said the suspect allegedly conned a pensioner who had worked for FEDICS Food Services, a catering company based at the Industrial Site in Matsapha.
| Police have arrested a suspect accused of swindling members of the public of about
E1 million using the ‘BakaNgwane’ name through fake tenders, political promises and ‘washa washa’ scams.
Sources said the pensioner and the suspect knew each other as the latter was a customer who used to buy food from the company.
After the pensioner retired, sources said he bumped onto the suspect during the course of the year and the suspect mentioned that he had not seen the senior citizen at work. It was then that the victim informed him that he had retired. The two men reportedly exchanged phone numbers.
Although it could not be immediately ascertained how the suspect knew that the pensioner had received his pension, but it was reported that he then called the pensioner to sell him a business idea.
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The suspect allegedly told the pensioner that he could assist him get a catering tender to service ‘BakaNgwane’.
With experience in catering, the pensioner is said to have shown interest in the ‘new business’ opportunity.
However, during the course of their ‘business’ discussions, sources said the suspect managed to sway focus from the catering tender business to informing his prey about some precious stones he could sell to rake in a lot of money.
It was reported that the suspect allegedly sold the stones to the pensioner and some ‘washing’ spray, which he was to use to clean the stone until they were precious enough to be sold for a hefty price.
After having parted with a total of E500 000, sources said the pensioner realised that he was being taken for a ride, so he ended up reporting the matter to the police.
The same ‘washa washa’ scam was used on a 73-year-old woman of Siphofaneni who was duped of a total of E318 000 allegedly by the suspect.
In an incident that happened in July, the senior citizen was reportedly lured to go to the Gables Shopping Centre where the suspect allegedly demanded the money in exchange for the ‘precious stones’ which he had allegedly promised that after selling them, she would earn E1 million.
When the promise was not delivered, the elderly woman opened a case with the Lobamba police.
In another similar incident, a 59-year-old man of Mafutseni was defrauded about E35 000 allegedly by the suspect under the pretence that he would use it to buy a chemical to ‘wash’ some money.
The police said the money which had been handed to the suspect was in a trunk box while at Ezulwini in November.
The victim was reportedly promised quick returns that would come with doubled money after the ‘washing’ process was done.
However, after the suspect failed to deliver on his promise, the victim filed a case with the Manzini police.
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The 39-year-old man of Siphofaneni was arrested while at Mbekelweni near kaMagwaza on Christmas Day.
Acting Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the arrest of the suspect.
However, she said at the time, the police had charged him with theft by false pretences for the alleged theft of the E35 000 from the victim he had promised money through the ‘washa washa’ scam.
“If there are more cases against him, the police will investigate and consolidate charges,” said Mnguni.
She also cautioned citizens against engaging in such dealings as it more often than not ended in loss of earnings.
“Money cannot be doubled or ‘washed’. This is a scam aimed at defrauding people their hard-earned money. Always stay vigilant and alert as criminals are always lurking in the shadows with new and sophisticated scamming antics,” Mnguni said.
