Scammer posed as hitman, leading high profile people to hire bodyguards to avoid being killed

A 32-year-old man, Ndumiso Bhengu, has appeared before the Germiston Magistrates Court, in Gauteng, facing charges of intimidation and extortion.

Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Singo, spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, said in December 2024, police in Pretoria received complaints about a person who was calling high profile people in government departments and the private sector, pretending to be a hired hitman hired to kill them.

“The suspect would then call the victims and demand R5,000 to R10,000 so that they should not be killed. It was reported that one of the victims fell into the trap and paid the money, while other victims suffered a huge financial loss by hiring 24-hour security guards,” said Singo.

Police followed up on the information, and Bhengu was tracked down in Evaton, in the Vaal area, where he was allegedly operating.

“The accused was arrested on (Tuesday) January 28 2025. During the arrest, police discovered burner phones, six SIM cards including those that were allegedly used to contact the victims,” said Singo.

The case against Bhengu has been postponed to February 6 for bail application.

Last year, IOL reported that police in Limpopo warned community members of a fraudulent scam in which victims are contacted by perpetrators, who claim that they were paid to kill them, and the callers then demand money to spare the victims’ lives.

In some of the incidents, three public servants reported similar cases.

Police said in other cases, two businessmen also received telephone calls from a person purporting to be a member of the Hawks.

The callers tell the unsuspecting victims they are investigating their cases, before demanding money from the victims to avoid prosecution.

“The police appeal to all community members to guard against these scammers,” Limpopo provincial commissioner of police, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe said at the time.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

IOL