KEY POINTS
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Thabo Theletsane was arrested for impersonating Hawks boss Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya and scamming a Gauteng businessman of over R100,000.
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The scam involved Theletsane using a fake profile of Lieutenant General Lebeya to convince the victim that his mobile devices had been compromised.
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Theletsane has been remanded in custody and is set to appear in court for a formal bail application on May 15, 2025.
A 42-year-old man, Thabo Theletsane, was brought before the Hatfield Magistrates Court on charges of fraud and impersonating a high-ranking police official.
Theletsane, who appeared in court on Monday, May 12, 2025, was arrested on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Petrus Steyn, Free State, by the National Serious Corruption Investigation of the Hawks.
According to Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, the crime took place in October 2024 when Theletsane allegedly contacted a prominent Gauteng businessman via WhatsApp, claiming to be the national head of the Hawks, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya.
According to IOL, Theletsane used a profile picture and details that closely resembled those of the senior officer in an attempt to deceive the victim.
“Using a profile picture and personal details resembling those of Lieutenant General Lebeya, the accused deceived the victim. It is alleged that the accused claimed that the mobile phone of the victim had been hacked and, under the pretext of assisting with a security breach, requested the victim’s personal information,” said Mbambo.
Theletsane’s scam involved convincing the victim
Theletsane’s scam involved convincing the victim that he was in communication with Lieutenant General Lebeya himself. Trusting the purported official, the businessman provided Theletsane with personal details and contact information for close associates.
As the deception continued, Theletsane made further claims that he had successfully de-bugged the victim’s mobile devices. He then requested a large sum of money for these services, to which the victim complied. “An amount of more than R100,000 was subsequently paid by the victim,” Mbambo revealed.
The Hawks have since warned the public about the risks of falling prey to such impersonation scams. Brigadier Mbambo emphasized: “The community is warned against making payments to police officers as they are not authorised to solicit money for services rendered.”
Theletsane’s case has been postponed to Thursday, May 15, 2025, for a formal bail application. He was remanded in custody while awaiting further court proceedings.
