A woman accused of duped people into paying money to enrol in her "colleges", has been granted bail.
Makhado Magistrate's Court, granted Salome Ngwana R15 000 bail. She faces 13 counts of fraud.
According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, Ngwana defrauded students who were enrolling in nursing courses at her “colleges”.
"The unregistered colleges were in Botlokwa, Morebeng, and Vhembe districts. She is also facing 40 counts of fraud in Thohoyandou, and 43 counts in Morebeng Magistrate’s Court. The money defrauded was more than R2 million," Malabi-Dzhangi said.
Ngwana was nabbed on March 10 at the OR Tambo Airport.
IOL previously reported that Ngwana managed to evade arrest after she fled to Nigeria.
"The breakthrough was made when detectives from Makhado received information about the wanted suspect returning to South Africa from Nigeria and that she would be arriving at OR Tambo International Airport at midday (on the day). The members pounced on her soon after she arrived at 12:00," police said
In court, a police officer testified that she was untraceable for more than six years as she was not staying at her residential address in Makhado.
"During the bail hearing, Ngwana testified that in 2017 she moved out from her homestead in Makhado and stayed with different relatives as she was struggling financially. She even moved to Polokwane, Midrand, and Durban. Now she is staying in Fourways where she has a business and 12 employees.
"The presiding officer, Benny Smith, said that Ngwana was released on bail with conditions that: she must report every Mondays at Midrand police station between 06h00 and 20h00; must hand over her passport to the state; and, inform the investigating officer if she wants to leave for business outside of South Africa.“
The matter was postponed to June 30 for further investigations.
IOL