A Mpumalanga couple has been swindled out of more than R1m after investing in a bogus mining deal.

Hawks spokesperson Capt Dineo Sekgotodi said Dr Precious Gcinile Mnisi and her husband Dr Sandile Ignitius Nkumane laid fraud charges against a 39-year-old man who promised them riches. Sekgotodi said the couple allegedly signed an investment agreement with the suspected fraudster in 2020. 

“The complainant and her husband met the suspect, who informed them about his investment business and encouraged them to invest,” said Sekgotodi.

“They signed an investment agreement on August 28 2020, which stipulated that the investors have provided the contract holder with financial assistance by EFT method amounting to R85,000 to receive R302,472 in returns on/before September 30 2020.”

Sekgotodi said the couple made EFT payments into the suspect’s FNB account after signing the contract.

“The complainants made several transfers into the suspect’s account in September 2020, which resulted in him paying them R100,000. The complainants then transferred R350,000 in October 2020, R150 000 of which was paid in return by the suspect. The complainants again deposited R490,000 in two bank transfers in late October 2020. The complainants also transferred R790,000 over the December 2020 period,” said Sekgotodi.

The suspect paid them some “returns” in the beginning, before sending them allegedly cooked documents about an estimated R1.26m loss in a mining investment, she said.

“With the returns not being transferred back to her account, [Mnisi] became suspicious that she might have been swindled and enquired from the suspect. The suspect is then reported to have sent her proof of payment from his FNB account dated January 8 2021 to the amount of R3,910,000. The suspect also sent purchase orders from mines that are said to be false documents with total loss amounting to R1,256,000.”

Sekgotodi said a Hawks investigation revealed the documents were fraudulent. She said a summons was served on the suspect in Barberton on Thursday. He was charged and is expected to appear in the Bethal magistrate's court on August 23.

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