By Khulile Thwala
Two South African women fraud suspects are expected to appear at the Nkomazi Magistrates Court in Tonga, Mpumalanga, tomorrow.
This comes after the duo, aged 31 and 45, from Driekoppies and Matsulu were arrested outside Malelane, close to Matsamo Border Gate in Eswatini, over one successful and one failed fraudulent transaction in one of the banks in South Africa last Friday.
“According to information sourced, the suspects made a loan of an undisclosed amount of cash, which was successfully paid into their account. Greediness led them to make another application for a credit card. Little did they know that their previous failed fraudulent activities in the same bank at Kamaqhekeza Plaza were going to cascade to their counterparts in Matsamo Mall,” Mpumalanga Police Spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said.
“When the bank consultant was busy processing their credit card application, information was received from Kamaqhekeza Plaza that there was a lookout for two ladies who attempted to make fraudulent applications.”
The SAPS said the bank contacted the Schoemansdal Police Station, which reacted quickly, and the two suspects were arrested. The pair is expected to appear at the Nkomazi Magistrates Court Tuesday.
IOL News reported that the provincial police commissioner in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, was overwhelmed by the arrests and indicated that the case would be dealt with by a team of specialists to ascertain if the suspects were operating alone or as part of a syndicate.