Durban - Durban Central police have arrested four suspects who were allegedly part of an estate fraud syndicate.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said four suspects were nabbed in connection with the Master of the High Court fraud in which deceased persons’ estates were swindled by fraudsters.
Netshiunda said the breakthrough came after intensive investigations by police detectives.
Zinhle Msomi, 42, Lorraine Ndlovu, 44, Zanele Hlengwa, 45, and Nkosinathi Moya, 62, were arrested in Durban.
He said the suspects were remanded in custody when they made their first appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday, August 18.
“In July 2022, a woman went to the Master of the High Court to register a claim for her late son, but she was perplexed when she was told that her son’s R700 000 estate had already been successfully claimed by a person who masqueraded as the deceased’s biological father,” said Netshiunda.
According to Netshiunda, the matter was reported to the police and after several months of investigations, police pounced on the suspects on Friday.
“Investigations revealed that the culprits would submit fictitious documents to the Master of the High Court and sought a letter of authority so that they could fraudulently claim deceased persons’ estates,” he said.
Police said the four suspects will make another appearance in court on August 25.