Fraudsters Sentenced For Defrauding Property Traders

Two Nigerian nationals, Olatunji Samson Abdul and Adedayo Quandri, were sentenced to eight years and seven years imprisonment respectively by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in Palm Ridge. Both men pleaded guilty and were convicted on 24 counts of theft, related to cloning the email addresses of conveyancers, DM5 and Yaron Waks. The law firms handled property sales and registrations on behalf of its clients, Amogelang Holdings and Lesley Warther respectively.

The accused used spyware and viruses to monitor emails between the law firms and their clients (property traders) that were about to do/receive transfers from the conveyancers after their properties were sold. They would then send their banking details to the conveyancers, as though these emails were from the property traders, resulting in R7,8 million and R4,2 million being diverted to their accounts. On 14 May 2019 DM 5 received an e-mail purporting to be from Amohelang directing/instructing the Company to transfer the proceeds of the sale of property worth R 7 836,347.70, money due to Amohelang that was paid into a bank account belonging to Siphosihle Sithole, who was charged together with both accused. but his trial was separated from that of the accused after he pleaded not guilty.  

Senior State Advocate Frans Mhlongo argued that the victims of the accused scam were rendered financially hard-pressed, the scam was targeted at Conveyancing law firms that handle large volumes of financial transactions.  “Our courts must protect members of our Business community from this type of offence and failure to do so might lead to business entities disinvesting and leaving the Country and a large section of our Society destitute”, he said.

The court remarked that the effects of the accused criminal activities on the affected entities/institutions have been devastating. Amohelang Holdings threatened liquidation proceedings against DM5 for the recovery of its proceeds of sale whilst Yaron Waks Attorneys have instituted civil proceedings against the Criminal Recovery Assets Unit to be compensated from the illicit funds recovered by the AFU and the funds Stolen from the Municipality could have been utilised for rendering services to its residents.

The NPA commends investigating officer Oscar Mopedi and Adv Frans Mhlongo for remaining committed to the course of justice.

Issued by: Phindi Mjonondwane