A Nigerian national, Lawrence Chinagorom Uche, has been arrested in South Africa for allegedly pretending to be a lawyer.
Uche was arrested last Friday following the execution of a warrant issued by the Vereeniging Magistrates Court in November 2022.
The 53-year-old suspect appeared in court on Monday, February 13, 2023, and the case was postponed to Friday.
The Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha, in a statement, said, “The Hawks’ Serious Corruption investigation has exposed Uche’s deceit of pretending to be a lawyer in and around courts in the Vaal. The investigation was prompted by an affidavit submitted by an investigating officer in an alleged rape case.”
“The contents of the affidavit were about the constant phone calls the investigator was receiving from the family of the rape accused. The family was reportedly demanding the release of the accused as they had paid money to Uche, who claimed to have paid a portion to the investigator for the case not to proceed.”
Ramovha said it was believed that other people might have fallen victim to Uche’s scam, which enabled him to steal money from victims under false pretences.
The Hawks appealed to those who might have fallen victim to Uche’s scam to call Captain Makgetha Mohominyane on 0824125069