Convicted rapist posed as Hawks captain to swindle victim out of thousands
A convicted rapist serving a 16-year sentence orchestrated a brazen extortion scheme from inside his prison cell, swindling a woman out of R41 760 by posing as a senior Hawks officer, authorities in Mpumalanga have confirmed.
The elaborate con began in September 2022 when the victim, whose identity is being withheld for safety reasons, received a phone call from a man identifying himself as Captain Monama of the Hawks. The fraudster informed her that a murder case from 2006, in which she had previously been arrested before all charges were withdrawn, had been reopened and that a warrant had been issued for her arrest.
The caller, later identified as 29-year-old Bonginkosi Masango, demanded R25 000 from the woman in exchange for destroying evidence against her. Fearful of being taken into custody, the victim paid the amount in two separate instalments.
Second call demanded further payment
Approximately two months after the initial payment, Masango contacted the victim again from the same number. This time, he claimed their arrangement had fallen apart because a fictitious colleague, a so-called Detective Wessels, had discovered she had not yet been apprehended. Masango then pressured the woman into handing over additional funds to placate the non-existent detective.
The victim eventually reported the matter at Siyabuswa, and the case was subsequently handed over to the Hawks' Middelburg-based Serious Corruption Investigation unit. Through meticulous detective work, investigators were able to trace the scam back to Masango after his 28-year-old cousin, Koosnight Mahlangu, was taken into custody on Wednesday, 3 September 2025.
The probe further established that Masango is currently behind bars after being convicted of rape in a 2015 case, for which he received a 16-year prison term. Both Masango and Mahlangu appeared before the Mdutjane Magistrate's Court in Siyabuswa on Thursday, 4 September 2025. Mahlangu was granted bail of R1 000, while Masango was ordered to remain in custody. The pair are set to return to the Mdutjana Regional Court on 6 October 2025.
"A number of people have fallen victim to police impersonators, denting the image of the police. This arrest might be a breakthrough to some of the unsolved cases."
Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Bruce Davenport, commended the investigating team for their outstanding work in cracking the case. The brigadier noted that fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials continue to tarnish the reputation of the police service, and expressed hope that this arrest could help unravel other unresolved matters linked to similar scams.
South Africans face growing vulnerability to phone-based extortion by criminals impersonating law enforcement, exploiting public fear of arrest and distrust in policing systems. This case highlights serious cellphone access failures within correctional facilities, raising concerns about prison security and oversight. For ordinary citizens and businesses, such scams erode confidence in legitimate police operations, potentially discouraging cooperation with authorities. Strengthening communication controls in prisons and public awareness campaigns could help curb these increasingly sophisticated fraud networks.
