BLOEMFONTEIN – Fraud-accused disbarred advocate Lerata Shadrack Mashee (50) is expected to launch a bid for bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on 2 March. He is remanded in custody while the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit in the Free State is continuing with the investigation into alleged fraud worth R890,000 for property sales.
Mashee briefly appeared in court on Monday, 23 February after his arrest by a team comprising the Hawks, Tactical Response Team and Crime Intelligence following a tracing operation.
Lt Col. Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said charges against the suspect include fraud, money laundering, and contravention of the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014. “The accused had been on the run since September 2024 until 23 February 2025 when they cornered him in Botshabelo where he was in hiding,” said Mohobeleli. He said an investigation revealed that Mashee allegedly misrepresented himself as a conveyancer and received money from various victims for property sales between 2019 and 2022.
“Several complainants had reported Mashee to the Legal Practice Council and the Hawks. Victims deposited a cumulative R890,000 into the accused’s bank accounts,” he said. Mohobeleli said the money was for houses the victims were interested in purchasing after seeing them advertised for sale in a local newspaper.
“Victims became suspicious when time elapsed without them moving into their new homes. It was later revealed that the accused was not certified to act as a conveyancer,” said Mohobeleli.
Multiple complaints were lodged against him with the Legal Practice Council (LPC) and the Hawks, leading to the disciplinary actions that resulted in his disbarment. Mashee was subsequently disbarred on 28 May 2024, according to the LPC’s report.
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