OCJ warns of scammer impersonating Justice Ngcukaitobi

The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has issued a warning about a scam involving a person posing as Acting Constitutional Court Justice Tembeka Ngcukaitobi. The impersonator is using Ngcukaitobi's name and photograph, and is sending messages from the WhatsApp number 079 139 2620, which displays the name "Justice T Ngcukaitobi".

The OCJ has advised the public to avoid interacting with this individual and to report the matter to the appropriate authorities. The organization has emphasized that fraudulently representing facts in a way that harms someone else is a punishable offense. The OCJ has urged the public and the media to double-check communications purportedly issued by judges before accepting them as genuine.

Members of the public and the media are being advised to reach out to the OCJ to verify the authenticity of any communication, directive, article, or social media post that claims to be from a judge. This warning comes after a previous alert issued by the OCJ on October 7 regarding an individual impersonating Deputy President Justice Dumisani Zondi of the Supreme Court of Appeal.

The repeated warnings show the OCJ's concern over fraudulent messages being disseminated under the names of judicial officers. The organization has urged the public to contact their office to confirm the authenticity of communications that purport to come from judges.