The NPA says it will oppose the bail application of two home affairs department officials accused of aiding fake doctor Leeto Chele to get an identity document.
Lebogang Sunduzwayo and Mzamo Mbilini, who work at the Randfotein office of the department, were arrested on Thursday and are facing charges of fraud and corruption. Their arrest follows that of Charlotte Bens-Edward, also from the same office, who was nabbed earlier this month in connection with aiding Chele.
State prosecutor Madre Amorita Windvogel told magistrate Desiree Stigling at the Pretoria magistrate’s court that the accused were facing a schedule 5 offence.
“The accused are facing charges of fraud and corruption, they are home affairs officials and they used to issue fraudulent South African documents. They are linked to the case of Charlotte Bens-Edward and we would therefore be attaching the two and Chele. We will be opposing bail of the pair as well as of Chele,” she said.
Bens-Edward was granted R500 bail on November 3.
The defence adv Olebogeng Motsemme for Sunduzwayo and Mbilini said it was not fair that the state intended to oppose the bail.
“The profile of the accused has been attached to the docket and their addresses have been confirmed. It’s not fair that the state wants the bail application of my clients to be delayed while one of the accused in this matter is out on bail,” he said.
Chele is facing numerous charges of fraud as well as car theft and escaping from police custody.
In his previous court appearance, the state said it was in possession of two SA identity documents belonging to Chele.
Chele was arrested on October 2 for posing as a medical doctor who used his Facebook page to lure health workers to invest in his nonexistent pharmaceutical business.
According to a police insider, he has allegedly taken more than R1.2m from his victims.
He has presented himself as a 17-year-old, but a district surgeon test done about two weeks ago on him estimated him to be in his early 20s.
The matter was postponed to next week for the bail application of Sunduzwayo and Mbilini, while Chele’s matter has been given the date of December 1.
NPA will oppose bail application of officials who aided fake doctor
‘The accused are facing charges of fraud and corruption’
Image: Supplied
The NPA says it will oppose the bail application of two home affairs department officials accused of aiding fake doctor Leeto Chele to get an identity document.
Lebogang Sunduzwayo and Mzamo Mbilini, who work at the Randfotein office of the department, were arrested on Thursday and are facing charges of fraud and corruption. Their arrest follows that of Charlotte Bens-Edward, also from the same office, who was nabbed earlier this month in connection with aiding Chele.
State prosecutor Madre Amorita Windvogel told magistrate Desiree Stigling at the Pretoria magistrate’s court that the accused were facing a schedule 5 offence.
“The accused are facing charges of fraud and corruption, they are home affairs officials and they used to issue fraudulent South African documents. They are linked to the case of Charlotte Bens-Edward and we would therefore be attaching the two and Chele. We will be opposing bail of the pair as well as of Chele,” she said.
Bens-Edward was granted R500 bail on November 3.
The defence adv Olebogeng Motsemme for Sunduzwayo and Mbilini said it was not fair that the state intended to oppose the bail.
“The profile of the accused has been attached to the docket and their addresses have been confirmed. It’s not fair that the state wants the bail application of my clients to be delayed while one of the accused in this matter is out on bail,” he said.
Chele is facing numerous charges of fraud as well as car theft and escaping from police custody.
In his previous court appearance, the state said it was in possession of two SA identity documents belonging to Chele.
Chele was arrested on October 2 for posing as a medical doctor who used his Facebook page to lure health workers to invest in his nonexistent pharmaceutical business.
According to a police insider, he has allegedly taken more than R1.2m from his victims.
He has presented himself as a 17-year-old, but a district surgeon test done about two weeks ago on him estimated him to be in his early 20s.
The matter was postponed to next week for the bail application of Sunduzwayo and Mbilini, while Chele’s matter has been given the date of December 1.
Two Home Affairs officials nabbed for helping fake doctor
Bogus ‘teenage’ doctor tells court he's 22 years old
Bogus doctor dupes health workers of more than R1.2m
SOWETAN | Throw the book at these fakes
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