Pretoria gang members in court as rival gangs widen operations in the city

The male and female suspects are believed to be part of a notorious group that has defrauded the City of Tshwane of about R12 million.

PRETORIA, March 18 (ANA) – A man and woman suspected to be members of a Pretoria gang nicknamed Boko Haram were on Thursday morning scheduled to return to the Pretoria magistrate’s court on charges including fraud.

Mncedisi Donald Ntloko and Sibongile Mabele, both aged 37, are believed to be part of the notorious group that has defrauded the City of Tshwane of about R12 million, North Gauteng spokesperson for the director of public prosecutions Lumka Mahanjana said in a statement.

The Pretoria gang has no recognised links with the infamous jihadist terrorist organisation of the same name operating in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Ntloko and Mabele face charges of fraud and contravening the Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act, Mahanjana said.

“It is alleged that the gang is involved in defrauding the City of Tshwane municipality an amount of about R12 million. They illegally occupied a new block of flats built by the municipality for Mamelodi residents as low cost housing and got involved in acts of criminality.”

Earlier this month, the Pretoria News reported that murder for hire, mob fees, contract hijacking and building hijacking were rife in Mamelodi as three criminal gangs ruled the township through fear.

Besides “Boko Haram”, residents and businesses in Mamelodi also have to contend with the “Farasai” and “Al Qaeda” gangs.

A community leader anonymously quoted by Pretoria News said the three gangs dealt in different crimes exclusively. “Farasai” mostly deals with murder for hire, “Al Qaeda” allegedly deals in drugs and is behind most car hijackings while “Boko Haram” is notorious for extortion and contract hijacking in Mamelodi and surrounding areas.

The community leader said most victims were so fear-stricken they dared not open a case with the police, while those who did were threatened until they withdrew their cases.

The Democratic Alliance earlier this month held a picket outside the Mamelodi West police station which has been thrust into the spotlight for failing to deal with the lawlessness brought on by the gangs.

The opposition party called for action in a murder case involving an activist who was vocal when “Boko Haram” allegedly invaded the Kingston hostels and was later murdered in his room at the hostel.

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa