MINISTER’S EXTORTER APPEARS IN COURT
PRETORIA: Jacob Yende (75) appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates court yesterday, 29 August 2024 after a summons was served on the 29 July 2024 by the Serious Economic Offences unit within the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation on intimidation and extortion charges.
It was reported that on 29 December 2022, the erstwhile Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motswaledi, currently the Minister of Health, received threatening telephone calls followed by WhatsApp messages from a suspect who identified himself as Vusi. Vusi alleged that he was hired by certain people to kill the Minister for his position and was already paid R40 000 upfront by the alleged mastermind. Vusi indicated that the remaining balance of R20 000 is to be paid upon the completion of his task. Vusi then solicited R80 000 to be deposited into a Capitec account as he felt that the Minister is honourable and kind. The matter was reported the matter to the DPCI, and a case of intimidation and extortion was opened at Brooklyn SAPS. Relentless investigation by SEOU revealed that the caller was in prison. A search and seizure operation was conducted at the prison where several cell phones and SIM cards were seized. Warning statements were obtained from eight (8) sentenced prisoners, one of whom is the account holder of Capitec bank account number provided to the Minister. The suspect was identified as Jacob Yende, who is serving life sentence in Witbank prison. He was served with summons to appear in court on 29 August 2024.
The accused appeared before court and the case was remanded to 09 September 2024 for his legal representation.
