Five NW suspects accused of defrauding RAF beneficiary due in court

JOHANNESBURG - Five suspects accused of defrauding a Road Accident Fund (RAF) beneficiary are expected to appear in the Orkney Magistrates Court, North West, on Wednesday.

The accused were arrested on Monday after impersonating RAF employees in an elaborate scheme to unlawfully get their hands on the beneficiary's payout from the fund.

It's understood the accused approached a recipient who had received a substantial payment of over R800,000 and advised the beneficiary to install a banking app on his phone to access additional money from the RAF.

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After installing the app, the suspects transferred a sum of money for themselves from the victim's account.

“Following an investigation by the Hawks [and the] serious commercial crime investigation unit, a warrant of arrest was issued against the five suspects,” said the Hawks' Tinyiko Mathebula.