Romance Scam: Nigerian Man Released On Bail After He Allegedly Pretended To Be A White Guy And Defrauded Woman Of R3 million In South Africa

A 39-year-old Nigerian man identified as Gabriel Okori, who was arraigned before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court over fraud and theft charges, has been released on bail.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, said Okori appeared before the Pretoria court after he was arrested in Cape Town earlier in October.

“He has been granted R5,000 bail and the matter is postponed to January 16, 2025,” Gauteng spokesperson for the Hawks, Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela said.

Okori was arrested by the Hawks, assisted by City of Cape Town’s law enforcement and a private security company.

The Hawks in Gauteng said Okori allegedly scammed a woman who he had met online.

The woman, whose identity is withheld to protect her from victimisation, believed she was involved with a white man named Mark Hermanus.

“The complainant in the matter alleges that she met what she thought was a white male on Facebook by the name of Mark Hermanus, the two exchanged cellphone numbers and began chatting on instant messaging (WhatsApp),” said Mavimbela.

“While the pair were getting to know each other'', ‘Mark Hermanus’ informed the complainant that his son was sick and asked the complainant to lend him money for his son’s medical bills.

The Hawks said the woman kept giving “Mark Hermanus” money, and the bill escalated to over R3 million.

The man promised that he would pay her back, once he had paid all his son’s medical bills. However, he never paid back the money.

“The matter was reported to the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation (unit) which led to the arrest of the suspect who was traced and identified as Gabriel Okori, a Nigerian national in Cape Town on October 3,” said Mavimbela.

Okori made his first appearance before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday last week, and a second court appearance on Monday this week.