Two men have been convicted and sentenced for their roles in a sophisticated scam that targeted people responding to vehicle and taxi advertisements on Facebook in the Jouberton area, North West, police said on Sunday, October 4.
The Stilfontein Regional Court convicted Cleopas Msipa, 51, and Tshepiso se Beer, 46, of theft on September 29 after both accused pleaded guilty to the charges.
The court heard that the scam involved luring unsuspecting victims to specific premises after they had responded to online advertisements offering vehicles and taxis for sale. When the victims arrived, they were confronted by a group of men who allegedly falsely claimed to be police officers from Potchefstroom.
According to evidence presented in court, the victims were separated and questioned before being told that gold-bearing material or diamonds had been discovered at the property. They were then threatened with arrest and pressured into handing over cash or transferring money from their bank accounts.
In some cases, the suspects took victims’ bank cards and used them to make transactions at taverns and other businesses.
The convictions followed a lengthy investigation by the Provincial Organised Crime Unit. In March 2023, investigators, working alongside Crime Intelligence, conducted an entrapment operation that led to the arrest of eight suspects allegedly linked to the scheme.
Further investigations and identification parades connected the suspects to additional cases involving a similar modus operandi.
Msipa and De Beer were each sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, suspended for five years.
The case against the remaining three accused has been postponed until October 21. They remain in custody pending the allocation of a new trial date.
The South African Police Service has urged members of the public to exercise caution when responding to online advertisements and to verify the legitimacy of sellers before making payments or attending meetings arranged through social media platforms.
- Cleopas Msipa, 51, and Tshepiso se Beer, 46, were convicted of theft for their roles in a scam targeting people who responded to vehicle and taxi ads on Facebook in Jouberton, North West.
- The scam involved luring victims to premises where men posing as Potchefstroom police officers threatened them and pressured them into handing over cash or bank details.
- Some victims had their bank cards taken and were used to make transactions at taverns and other businesses.
- Msipa and De Beer were each sentenced to six years' imprisonment, suspended for five years, following a lengthy investigation and an entrapment operation in March 2023.
- The case against three other accused suspects remains postponed to October 21, with those suspects in custody awaiting trial.
