They say it takes a thief to catch one. This scenario has unfolded in a failed scam involving two men in Bothaville, Free State.
The men in question are John Fembers and William Ratau Moreke, a convict on parole. Both are appearing in the Bothaville Magistrates’ Court and face charges of extortion, and false impersonation after their arrest by the police regarding a failed scam.
The charge of false impersonation is against Moreke, following his arrest early in March this year after a failed attempt to scam Fembers. The case against the latter arose from an incident in 2021. Details of the extortion matter against Fembers are sub judice and cannot be divulged as it is part of an ongoing investigation.
According to WO Fikiswa Matoti, Free State spokesperson of the Hawks, Moreke impersonated a prosecutor in an attempt to scam Fembers of R100 000 in March this year. Moreke was caught in the act after a transaction of R5 000, which was part of a R100 000 gratification payment.
Matoti said Moreke allegedly approached Fembers, demanding a payment of R100 000 in order to “withdraw” charges laid against him. She said the two men arranged to meet at a particular bank in the Bothaville central business district (CBD) where the demanded gratification payment was made.
“The complainant (Fembers) requested the money from a fixed account. Moreke then demanded R5 000 to be withdrawn from the automated teller machine (ATM) while waiting for the release of the entire amount from the bank. He was arrested after the transaction,” said Matoti. He was apprehended by members of the Welkom-based Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team, provincial Anti-Corruption unit, and provincial Organised Crime team.
Further probing by the police revealed that Moreke has a criminal record. He was sentenced for armed robbery of an American Swiss jewellery store in Welkom in 2004, with Mhlupheki Henry Mkwananzi, Mxilisi Joseph Mpondo and Tsubasa Samuel Motsapi as his accomplices. The robbers were found guilty of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and contravention of the Firearms Control Act. Matoti said the convicted Moreke was currently on parole after service time in prison for the armed robbery case in 2004. He is remanded in custody as he violated his parole conditions.
