Picture: Lynn Williams
A Pretoria accountant embroiled in a fraud and extortion case involving a prostitute was in the dock in the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday.
Mulalo Portia Tshitambo dived for cover and tried to outrun reporters in a bid not to have her photograph taken.
She faces charges of extortion, fraud, and corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
Tshitambo was allegedly part of a syndicate that duped a Gqeberha businessman, who made use of the services of a prostitute, into thinking that he was being investigated for fraud and rape after his encounter with the woman.
The complainant, whose name is known to Algoa FM News, eventually turned to the SAPS for help after he had already been duped out of more than R700,000.
Also read: GQ businessman falls prey to extortion syndicate
The trial, which was set to resume on Thursday, had to be postponed due to the unavailability of a Venda interpreter.
State Prosecutor, Advocate Wilhelm de Villiers told the court that a requisition to have an interpreter present was signed on 10 September.
According to de Villiers the Principal interpreter acknowledged receipt of the request the following day.
No explanation was given however on why no Venda interpreter was present on Thursday.
This prompted Magistrate Lionel Lindoor to make an order that compelled the Principal interpreter to confirm that someone would be present one week before the start of the trial next year.
According to the charge sheet, the complainant met a woman at a guesthouse in February 2022, paid for services rendered after their interlude, and left.
During the same month, however, a member of the syndicate who introduced himself as "Mr Makwena" contacted the complainant, purporting to be an SAPS Warrant Officer.
He told the complainant that he was being investigated for fraud and rape by a woman who was apprehended by SAPS for having counterfeit currency.
The complainant was informed that the woman alleged that she received the counterfeit currency from him and that he raped her.
He coughed up R10,000 when Makwena told him that he was willing to assist to have the matter withdrawn.
After his initial payment, the extortion by the syndicate for more payments continued unabated from March to November 2022.
The State alleges that R390,500 was paid into an FNB account that belonged to the accused.
Instant Money Transfers to the tune of R355,050 were also done to various cell phone numbers supplied to him by members of the syndicate.
When it became evident that the extortion "will never end" the complainant laid a complaint with SAPS on 29 December 2022.
The corruption and defeating the ends of justice charge pertains to Tshitambo allegedly telling Sergeant Ntshanyana that she wanted to purchase the docket from SAPS for R30,000.
It is further alleged that the accused flew to Gqeberha to strike the deal and that she was arrested after handing Ntshanyana the money.
The trial will be heard on 5 March next year.
The accused is out on bail.
