Crime trend where women drug and rob men growing

Police are warning the public about a crime trend where men are befriended by women at hangout spots who then spike their drinks or drug and then rob them.

Sowetan can reveal that there are at least 12 cases currently being investigated across Gauteng – six in Pretoria while the others were reported in Johannesburg and on the East Rand.

Some of these cases were reported in 2019.

The latest incident was reported at the weekend in Katlehong township, on the East Rand, which has made police believe that they were dealing with more than one syndicate.

At least nine people have been arrested across the province.

Provincial police spokesperson Capt Mavela Masondo said the modus operandi is that women befriend their victims in a club. Once the man has agreed to take them home, they call a man (driver) who comes to fetch them.

“They can spike your drink or pass the sleeping tablets during a kiss with the victim. Victims pass out. Once that is done, the women call a man who is their driver to come and fetch you.

“The victim is then robbed of all his possessions, including the car. Your body can be dumped anywhere after they are done,” Masondo said.

Sowetan can further reveal that three of the four women charged with the murder and robbery of King Goodwill Zwelithini's eldest son, Prince Lethukuthula Zulu, who was allegedly a victim of the same crime on November 6 last year, have been linked to two other similar cases.

Tshefogatso Moremane, 30, Margaret Koaile, 42, Portia Mmola, 28, Gontse Tlhoele, 30 and alleged driver Dakalo Mbedzi, 32, were arrested for Zulu's murder.

All four women were denied bail. Mbedzi's bail application was successful.

Masondo said police later discovered that three of the four women had a similar case pending against them and they were out on bail on that matter when they allegedly targeted Zulu.

The incident happened in Putfontein, on the East Rand.

Masondo said victims in the other case had positively identified three of the woman when they appeared in the Randburg magistrate's court on the Zulu matter.

Zulu, 50, was found dead in his home in Northwold, Johannesburg, after an outing at News Café in Randburg.

“We are investigating more than one syndicate. We have arrested those ones [involved in Pretoria and those in Randburg/Honeydew areas] and this crime is still happening. It shows that we are dealing with more than one syndicate,” Masondo said.

He said there is another case that was recently reported in Vosloorus.

In one of the most recent cases, actor Eric Miyeni fell victim after meeting women in Melville, Johannesburg, in June. He then invited them over to his home in Observatory,

He told eNCA's Check Point that he had one drink and then went to his bedroom to sleep.

“I woke up the next day and I was dazed. The two women were gone and I realised that they had stolen my wallet, my phones, my computers and other valuables in my home,” Myeni said in the interview.

on Thursday, Myeni told Sowetan that police had made an arrest in the case.

“The police are going to bring a subpoena to me tomorrow which will state when and where I should appear. They have arrested one of the two women who spiked my drink and made off with my valuables,” said Myeni.

Masondo confirmed the arrest. 

Masondo said the six cases in Pretoria were opened in 2019, two in Sunnyside and the others at the Pretoria Central police station.

• In one of the cases in Sunnyside, the victim said he met the women at the Rhapsody Pub in May. The women told the man they needed a lift to one of the areas. He agreed as he was heading in the same direction. He passed out just as he entered his car. He only woke up in hospital after two days not knowing how he arrived there. He had to get stitches due to injuries he sustained. He was found in Soshanguve;
• In the same month, also in Sunnyside, the victim was dumped in Letlhabile, in Brits, North West;
• In June 2019, the victim, who died, was the commander of the Waterkloof Airforce, Brig-Gen Motlhokomedi Kenneth Petso. Petso was at a club called Blue Moon in Pretoria and he was dumped in Ga-Rankuwa. His Jeep Cherokee, which was also missing, was recovered in Brits;
• In July 2019, the victim met the women in the Pretoria inner city and he was found drugged in Mabopane; and
• Two other case were opened in July with victims dumped in Brits.

“When we did our investigations into all these cases [in Pretoria], we established that it is the same people committing these crimes. It was two ladies and one guy. We took all these cases and made it one,” Masondo said.

Police then made a breakthrough and arrested the trio.

Ellenor Khumalo pleaded guilty to all the charges, including Petso's murder, several counts of conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances, multiple counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, various counts of kidnapping and theft.

Khumalo was this week sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and 15 years for each count of conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances. She got another 15 years for each count of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and an additional five years for each of the counts of kidnapping and theft.

The other two accused – a man and a woman – pleaded not guilty and will now go to trial.

But another gang was identified by the police operating elsewhere in the province.