KEY POINTS
- Nigerian national Gabriel Okori stands accused of defrauding a person out of R3 million.
- A woman loses both significant sums of money and the emotional connection she built with a fraudster through his fake romance.
- A collective of South African women works together to expose the common occurrence of internet love scams throughout the country.
The Nigerian national Gabriel Okori obtained bail extension while under investigation for defrauding someone through a R3 million scheme.
The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court authorized this extension after Okori appeared in court for allegedly defrauding money through internet interaction with a female victim.
The court allegations state Okori pretended to be white male “Mark Hermanus” to deceive a woman into transferring money which he claimed went towards medical treatment costs for his son.
The fraudulent scheme unfolds
The South African Hawks arrested Okori in Cape Town during October of 2024 as part of their Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation. According to the Hawks, through an online friendship initiated by Okori he persuaded a woman to give him large financial help for his son’s fake medical treatment.
The woman kept her identity hidden from public knowledge because she formerly thought she helped a white male but discovered his deception later. The victim sent Okori more than R3 million while believing his statement that her fund investments would result in a refund which involved paying off his son’s medical expenses.
Several South African women have emerged to tell their experiences about being deceived in romance scams as the case continues to receive widespread attention.
Several victims have been so devastated by scam-related losses that they chose suicide as their final option.
The serious commercial crime unit of the Hawks used their investigative powers to arrest Okori following their investigation into the case.
Court proceedings and community impact
The court postponed Okori’s case until March 7th, 2025. Though previously the court set bail at R5,000 for Okori but this amount remained in place when prosecutors made their appearance this week.
The court date scheduled for him will set the course for his trial since ongoing investigations seek evidence regarding his fraudulent activities.
Numerous victims feel distress because scams repeatedly devastate women breadwinners who maintain their family’s primary income.
The fraudulent practices targeted by local support groups have become too common for AfriForum, which continues to advocate better online fraud prevention methods.
