ZAKHELE Morris Nkosi (34) appeared in the White River Magistrates court in Mpumalanga on Thursday, 04 August for impersonating police minister Bheki Cele.
He was served with the summons (J175) on 8 July to appear in court following an in-depth investigation that linked him to the impersonation of the Minister.
In the height of lockdown, when all the liquor outlets were closed, through a fake Facebook account, posted that liqour shops would open.
Hawks spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said: "The Hawks Serious Commercial Crime investigation (SCCI) team together with Cyber Crime Investigation team attached to the Hawks Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI) acted on information that was circulating on social media purporting that the Police Minister will on the 13 April 2020 announce that liquor shops will open."
"This was unbecoming and regarded as fake news as the Minister of Police has no valid social media account, and a contravention of the Regulations of Disaster Management Act as it was during the hard lockdown levels to prevent the rapid spread of the covid-19 pandemic," he added.
According to the Hawks, a preliminary investigation revealed that there were approximately one hundred and sixty-one (161) Facebook accounts and two (2) Facebook groups purporting to be that of the Minister, carrying a combination of both his name and pictures.
"Similarly, Mzomusha Hlongwane (25) also linked to other Facebook accounts was served with the court summons to appear in the Bergville Magistrates in Kwa-Zulu Natal on 30 September 2021.
"Hlongwane pleaded guilty on all charges and was subsequently sentenced by the same court on 03 December 2021. A fine of one thousand rand (R1000) with an alternative thirty (30) days imprisonment for contravening the Regulations of the Disaster Management Act was handed down to him."
He added that Hlongwane was additionally fined two-thousand-rand R2000 or two (2) months imprisonment for fraud, suspended for five (5) years on the condition that he will not be convicted for fraud throughout suspension.
Meanwhile, Nkosi is expected to be back in Kanyamazane Magistrates court on 11 August 2022 and more arrests are expected as the investigation continues into other implicated suspects.
