Prison inmates scam sex work clients of over R 700K
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Photo: supplied \Hawks
A joint operation by the Hawks together with Emergency Support Team (EST) from Gauteng Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has successfully led to an uncovering of money and extortion among other charges by inmates at Odi and Baviaaspoort Correctional Centres in Mabopane and Pretoria respectively.
Police day they received a complaint from men who were complaining about “supposed” police officers who were extorting money from and threatening them with arrests.
It is said according to Police that the said victims where at some point clients to sex workers having obtained services from escort agencies online.
The inmates then fraudulently got hold of their information and got in contact with the said men, posed as police officers, and told them that a case of rape and fraud was opened against them as they used fake money to pay the sex-workers.
Having gotten tLieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalas Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said they would also present a fake warrant of arrest through WhatsApp and demand payment to ensure that the police along with the prosecutor make the cases disappear.
“The Hawks investigation revealed that a syndicate of inmates with cell phones allegedly created profiles of police officers using the combination of both their names and photos taken from social media profiles of unsuspecting police officers. They further sourced a call log from an online base escort agency continuously to contact the victims who paid them in fear of prosecution. Over the period between May and August 2022, the total amounts of R760 000-00 and R560 000-00 had been paid into two separate accounts provided to the victims to deposit the money.”
“During the search the search multiple smart phones were found on each of the four suspects and were seized by the Hawks for further investigation. A total of thirty-six (36) cell phones, nineteen (19) chargers and other accessories were also found from other inmates in the same cells and were seized by the DCS EST.”
Lt-Col Nkwalase added that they are confident that there could be victims of this crime according to information at their disposal at the moment.
They pleaded with anyone who might have information regarding this extortion to come forward and contact the detective Captain Jacques Loock on 082 778 5626.
The four inmates between the ages of 26 and 32 will appear in Pretoria Magistrate Court on Monday 15 August 2022 and more arrests are imminent.
