Estate fraud: Three more accused join R11m ‘Gagashe’ case
Five accused now face 101 charges linked to 15 deceased estates in the Gagash fraud case
Three more individuals have been accused in a massive fraud and money laundering case, increasing the total number of suspects to five people and one company. They appeared in a South African court on Monday, September 28th, 2026, alongside two others already facing charges.
The accusations stem from the management of 15 deceased estates. Prosecutors allege that the suspects concealed ill-gotten proceeds by registering properties in the names of family members and transferring funds to a company called Risima Jeje Trading Enterprise. It is claimed that around R11 million was stolen and laundered, with R1.65 million spent on a Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 in Pretoria.
According to one estate valued at R4.2 million, only R1.47 million was paid to the deceased's children, while the remaining amount was allegedly misappropriated. The State also alleges that the main suspect and another individual used the business account of the latter to launder the stolen money.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Malabi revealed that the arrests came after a thorough investigation between August 14th and September 27th, 2026. Malabi-Malabi emphasized that the suspects allegedly concealed or disguised the origin, location, and movement of millions belonging to deceased persons, stating that it constitutes a serious breach of trust and a grave violation of the law.
She added that the NPA is determined to ensure accountability and pursue justice vigorously to restore confidence in estate administration.
The case has been adjourned to October 2nd, 2026, for bail applications. All accused individuals are currently in custody pending further proceedings.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
