A bogus estate agent who defrauded a home buyer of R650,000 has been jailed to an effective 10 years in jail.
Hlobisile Mdlalose, 42, was sentenced in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.
The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks) said Mdlalose was arrested in Johannesburg in September 2023 and was taken as a prisoner in transit back to the Eastern Cape.
Speaking about the case Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the complainant saw an advertisement on the internet for a particular house for sale in Newtown in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape.
"Upon seeing the house, the complainant contacted the Estate Agent on the number that was shown on the advert, informing her of her interest in purchasing the house.
"Mdlalose ordered the complainant to make a payment and sent an offer to purchase via email.
"The victim received an offer to purchase signed it and sent it back to the suspect on the same day.
"Additionally, the victim was called by Fotoh Associates Inc. Attorneys requesting Financial Intelligent Centre Act (FICA) documents.
"The documents were received and proceeded to the victim receiving another email with Nedbank details stating that payment must be made on the account."
The Hawks said the complainant transferred an amount of R650,000 to the said bank account.
"Thereafter, the victim was notified by the attorneys, that they had never received any payment into their banking account. Furthermore, the director of the law firm asserted that the said account does not belong to their company."
Following her arrest Mdlalose was released on R8,000 bail.
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