Attorney and police officer face charges for laundering funds from deceased estates

Charlotte Tibana, an attorney aged 33, and Peter Nonyane, a 36-year-old officer from Tshwane Metro Police Department, were charged in Polokwane Magistrates Court regarding the alleged theft and laundering of around R1.75 million from two deceased estates. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) reported that Nonyane was apprehended in Pretoria on August 14, 2026, while Tibana was taken into custody in Polokwane on August 15, 2026. Both appeared in court on August 16, 2026.

The State claims that the pair concealed the origin, transfer, and usage of approximately R1.75 million from the bank accounts of the deceased estates. Prosecutors assert that around R1.65 million of this money was used to buy a used Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 from a dealership in Pretoria. The allegations state that these transactions jeopardized the deceased estates and deprived lawful beneficiaries of their rightful inheritances.

The NPA further alleges that Tibana, acting as the executor, authorized and facilitated the transfer of the funds from the estate accounts, causing financial losses for the beneficiaries.

Both Tibana and Nonyane were remanded in custody, and the case was postponed to August 21, 2026, for their bail application. The NPA emphasized their commitment to prosecuting fraud, corruption, money laundering, and other financial crimes that undermine public trust and harm beneficiaries of estate assets. The prosecution of such offenses is crucial for maintaining the integrity of deceased estates administration and ensuring accountability for those who misuse positions of trust for personal gain, as stated by the NPA regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi.