The three suspects, Tebogo Ledwaba (33), Tshupetso Rabodiba (30), and Simphesihle Simelane (30) were charged with fraud. According to police spokesperson, Adéle Myburgh, the trio were all granted R500 bail following their court appearance on Monday. Myburgh says they are still in custody and will reappear in court on the 13th.

According to police spokesperson, Sam Tselanyane, the suspects went to the shop at Waterfall Mall in Rustenburg and pretended to be representatives of a company. The suspects informed employees they were sent by the Company Director and produced a fraudulent confirmation letter as well as fraudulent identity documents. The store manager became suspicious and alerted the police.

"Members from the Rustenburg Fraud Section attended to the complaint. The suspects were about to leave the store after the finalisation of the transaction when the police pounced on them. Furthermore, preliminary investigations revealed one of the suspects defrauded the same company of five cellular phones with an estimated value of R185 000 last month," says Tselanyane.

All three cellular phones were recovered as well as the vehicle in which the suspects were travelling in. “The possibility that these suspects might be operating as a syndicate and are involved in a series of other fraud-related cases committed in Rustenburg, as well as other parts of the country, cannot be ruled out," Tselanyane adds.

OFM News/Blaine Jones