Pretoria: The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has warned the public not to engage with fake social media accounts linked to the prosecutorial body's head, Advocate Andy Mothibi.
According to South African Government News Agency, the NPA has expressed serious concern over the re-emergence of incidents where individuals are impersonating Advocate Andy Mothibi. These impersonators are using fraudulent phone numbers and social media profiles to deceive the public. It has been reported that certain individuals are falsely claiming to be the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) and are circulating messages to that effect. In some cases, they are using a profile picture of Adv Mothibi with Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, to lend credibility to their fraudulent communications.
The prosecutorial body strongly condemned these acts of impersonation, emphasizing that such actions could lead to criminal prosecution. The NPA has cautioned the public to be vigilant when receiving messages or calls from individuals claiming to be Adv Mothibi. It clarified that the NDPP does not use private or unfamiliar numbers for official communications with the public.
The NPA highlighted that this unlawful conduct may constitute offenses such as fraud and impersonation and urged those responsible to stop using the NDPP's identity and image for deceitful purposes. The public is advised to report any such messages to local law enforcement authorities.
In its concluding remarks, the NPA reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its leadership and protecting the public from fraudulent activities conducted in the name of its officials.