MP Balopi and Dr Kwape imposters arrested

A couple that has been defrauding business owners by pretending to be Members of Parliament for Gaborone North, Mpho Balopi and Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Lemogang Kwape soliciting for donations have been remanded in custody.

The lovers, Isaac Hitchfield, 38, who originates from Molepolole village and his 30-year-old girlfriend Bontle Didimalang Masala residing in Gaborone West were arraigned before Village Magistrate, Batho Kgerethwa last week Thursday.

They are each facing one count of obtaining by false pretenses and two counts of attempt to obtain fraudulently.

According to the first charge, the two accused persons on July 8th, 2020 at Central Business District (CBD) Gaborone, acting together in consent and with common purpose fraudulently and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of P5000.00 from Dr Tawanda Masenya of Zeta Clinic.

Hitchfield allegedly telephoned Masenya and pretended to be the MP Balopi requesting for donations for disabled school children in Gaborone North whilst in actual fact and truth knowing the presentation to be false.

In other charges, the duo made a telephonic conversation with attempt to obtain fraudulently P5000.00 from Ureriya Nikuweleke Isa of Barisama Pty/Ltd and also Woolworths Manager, Gorata Abotseng Lekau requesting for donations for elderly and disabled people at Tlwokweng where Hitchfield pretended to be Dr Kwape.

The accused persons are said to have been using donation forms with fraudulent names to convince people to give them cash and sign for such false donations.

Prosecutor Detective Superintendent Joshua Ntau of Serious Crime Squad had asked the court to remand the two love birds to avoid them tempering with evidence.

“The matter is still at an early stage of investigation, we anticipate they are still going to have more charges as it showed these are not the only cases, we are still hoping to receive more from other stations for investigations,” he explained before revealing that as the offense was committed through electronic means, they still have to trace the devices they used.

The two accused will appear for mention on July 30th, 2020.