Two suspected fraudsters, both women who pocketed thousands in cash in fraudulent transactions, are expected to be back in the docks at Somerset West Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 15 August.
One of the suspects is a 38-year-old woman who was arrested after defrauding several Post Offices of altogether R108 000 over a period of two months.
The suspect was apprehended by Somerset West police at 14:36 on Thursday 8 June, while making a withdrawal at the Post Office on the corner of Andries Pretorius and Church Street.
The local branch was one of five including Strand, Grabouw, Gansbaai and Atlantis where fraudulent transactions were undertaken by the suspect.
According to police the woman claimed that she was offered a “job” and only had to provide an ID photo of herself. A few days later an identity book was delivered to her residential address. The delivery was followed by a request to use the document for withdrawals at the aforementioned post office branches.
After several fraudulent transactions an employee reported the matter to police. An alert was placed on the account, which was closely monitored. The arrest followed another attempted withdrawal by the suspect in Somerset West while the account holder was in Limpopo.
The suspect, Noitha Qongqa, was arrested and detained at Somerset West Police Station. The docket was assigned to Detective Warrant Officer Andry Lottering for further investigation.
“An investigation determined that the suspect defrauded all the other post offices,” a police report stated. “A fraud case was registered and the suspect positively linked to them all.”
Qongqa made her first court appearance on charges of fraud in the Somerset West Magistrates’ Court on Monday 12 June, and remains behind bars until her next expected appearance. Police have expressed their intention to oppose bail.
Somerset West Police Detective Commander Lieutenant Colonel Sizakele Hantibi congratulated Lottering for the outstanding investigation and successful arrest of the brazen fraudster.
He was also recognised for his efforts, which resulted in the arrest of a 57-year-old Gauteng woman, also on charges of fraud at a local bank.
Similar to the previous incident, and following her arrest on Tuesday 29 May, the suspect claimed she was offered a “job” by an unknown man who offered her transport from Gauteng to the Western Cape.
The suspect had to provide the man with an ID photo and received an identity book a few days later. She alleges she was previously ordered to visit the bank and make a withdrawal of R14 000, using the ID book.
The original bank account holder noticed the fraudulent activity and reported the matter to the branch in Hermanus. An alert was placed on the account. The suspect was arrested after returning to the local branch on Tuesday 29 May and attempting to withdraw R30 000.
“Police were informed and the suspect was arrested. A case of fraud was registered and the docket assigned to Lottering for further investigation. During the investigation the suspect refused to provide information on the man (who offers ‘employment’ and remains at large),” stated a report.
The suspect, Geraldine Lindren, who still would not give up any information on the man, appeared in the Somerset West Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 31 May. Lindren abandoned her bail application and is expected back in court next Tuesday (15 August).
Station Commander Colonel Jacolize Fleischmann commended the members for their sterling investigation.
