Pretoria- A 24-year-old “conman,” Nhlanhla Sizani, successfully deceived South Africa’s Police service by impersonating a United Nations (UN) diplomat during the 2021 local government elections. Sizani appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, facing charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, commonly known as the Hawks, revealed that Sizani submitted a fraudulent letter adorned with the United Nations insignia, requesting the South African Police Service (SAPS) escort to polling stations under the guise of a UN ambassador/diplomat.

Colonel Katlego Mogale, spokesperson for the Hawks, stated, “Sizani misrepresented himself, managing to secure an SAPS Diplomatic Police Unit escort to various polling stations as an observer during the elections.” However, investigations by the Hawks’ Crime Against the State within the Serious Organised Crime Investigation uncovered that Sizani was neither a UN ambassador nor an official observer.

Mogale emphasized the actual financial loss suffered by SAPS due to the misrepresentation. The United Nations confirmed that they had not requested the escort, exposing the extent of the conman’s deceit.

The case has been postponed to January 23 to allow Sizani time to secure legal representation. The incident raises concerns about security protocols and highlights the vulnerability of institutions to sophisticated impersonation schemes.