Two members of a stokvel in Potchefstroom have been arrested for stealing more than half a million from the club.
Police arrested Benjamin Mogotsi (51) and Constance Motaung (50) on Wednesday March 26. The pair appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court the next day.
The court granted both R5 000 bail each and postponed the case to May 29.
Police say the stokvel treasurer reported that in November 2023, they had noticed that various amounts of cash had been withdrawn from the account.
The pair withdrew cash without authorisation
Police say later, it was discovered that the pair, among the registered account signatories, made the withdrawals amounting to R600 000 without authority.
The pair admitted to taking the money but said they invested it in cryptocurrency and so had been lost.
The North West police provincial commercial crime unit took over the case for investigation. They arrested the two after the provincial National Prosecuting Authority director of public prosecution made a decision to charge.
Acting North West police commissioner Major General Patrick Asaneng welcomed the arrest and thanked all the involved parties in solving the crime.
CPF subcommittee chair dead
North West police spokesperson Adele Myburgh said a member of the Ikemeleng informal settlement CPF has been found dead.
She said Sydney Mboweni (28) died in his bakkie in the street outside his home on Friday evening.
His Toyota had crashed into the neighbour’s perimeter fence when he lost control after being shot in the head.
She said investigators uncovered that Mboweni had supper then got into his car to go report a crime to local police.
His girlfriend reported that a few minutes later she heard gunshots.
She said an unknown man then came into her home to report Mboweni had been in an accident.
He had a gunshot wound to the head
But when she went out to investigate, she stumbled on to a horror scene. Mboweni had a visible gunshot wound to the head. Paramedics would later pronounce him dead on the scene.
Myburgh said police have neither motive nor a suspect in the crime at this stage.
Asaneng condemned the killing saying anyone who murders someone who volunteers to help police fight crime cannot be condoned.
He conveyed his condolences to Mboweni’s loved ones and said no stone would be left unturned to ensure the culprits are brought to book.
