Fake estate agent slammed with 10 years imprisonment
17 February 2025 | SANews
The Mthatha based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team of the Hawks ensured that Hlobisile Mdlalose (42) was sentenced by the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 14 February 2025 for charges of cyber fraud and money laundering.
Mdlalose was arrested by the Hawks on 13 September 2023 and appeared before Johannesburg Magistrates’ court the following day of her arrest. She was a prisoner in-transit to Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes court where appeared on 18 September 2023. Mdlalose was released on R8000 bail.
On 7 July 2022, the complainant saw an advertisement on the internet of a particular house on sale at Newtown in Lusikisiki. Upon seeing the aforesaid house, the complainant contacted the Estate Agent on the number that was shown on the advert, informing her of her interest in purchasing the house. Therefore, Mdlalose ordered the complainant to make a payment and sent an offer to purchase via email.
The victim received an offer to purchase signed it and sent it back to the suspect on the same day. Additionally, the victim was called by Fotoh Associates Inc. Attorneys requesting Financial Intelligent Centre Act (FICA) documents. The documents were received and proceeded to the victim receiving another email with Nedbank details stating that payment must be made on the account. Consequently, the complainant transferred an amount of R650 000 to the said bank account. Thereafter, the victim was notified by the attorneys, that they have never received any payment into their banking account. Furthermore, the director of the law asserted that the said account does not belong to their company.
This culminated to the complainant being prejudiced cash to a total amount of R650 000. The matter was then referred to the Mthatha based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for probing.
The investigations resulted to the accused being traced and found at Johannesburg, Gauteng by the Bizana based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI) team of investigators of the Hawks. She was arrested on 13 September 2023.
Mdlalose made several court appearances until her sentencing by the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes court on 14 February 2024. She was sentenced to undergo ten (10) years direct imprisonment with no option of a fine. In addition, both counts treated as one for the purpose of sentencing.
The DPCI Provincial Head, Major General Obed Ngwenya has welcomed the sentencing and further congratulated the SCCI team of investigator for the job well done in making sure that the accused get the deserving sentence.