A Gauteng man has been charged with intimidation and extortion after allegedly claiming he was a hitman who had been hired to kill top government officials.
Ndumiso Bhengu, 32, appeared before the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
In December, the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in Pretoria received complaints about a man who was calling high-profile people in government departments and the private sector, pretending to be a hired hitman, said Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Singo.
“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,” he said.
Bhengu was tracked down in Evaton, from where he was allegedly operating, and was arrested on Tuesday.
“During the arrest, police discovered burner phones and six SIM cards, including those that were allegedly used to contact the victims,” said Singo.
The case against Bhengu has been postponed to 6 February for a final bail application.
