Bogus lawyer who swindled victims over R3 million through fraudulent property sale, loses bail appeal

A man charged with swindling unsuspecting victims out of more than R3 million while posing as a conveyancer lost his bail appeal in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.

Candid Chilwane, 58, was previously denied bail by the Tsakane Magistrate’s Court in November 2024 after he and two accomplices were allegedly involved in a sophisticated property fraud scheme.

According to court documents, the conspiracy unfolded between August 2023 and October 2024 when Chilwane collaborated with two individuals posing as estate agents and they advertised various properties.

Once a potential buyer showed interest, they would then contact Chilwane to facilitate the fraudulent transaction. Throughout this operation, all funds from victims were deposited directly into Chilwane’s account.

Initially facing eight charges, the number escalated to 20 following their arrest. Additionally, two more fraud cases concerning similar activities have been opened against Chilwane in Pretoria. In these cases, he allegedly accepted payments from victims to prepare deeds of transfer that were never executed.

During his bail appeal, Judge Dario Dosio listened to testimonies that painted a troubling picture of Chilwane’s situation. An investigative officer revealed that many victims were hostile and had guns, with some making threats against Chilwane’s life as they had stated that “they would decide what to do with him” if he is released.

One victim, fearing for her safety, relocated to Mpumalanga after alleging that Chilwane had sent people to intimidate her. The investigating officer expressed fears that if released on bail, Chilwane could be subjected to violence by angry victims seeking recompense. 

Adding to the court’s concerns, the investigative officer said prior to his arrest, Chilwane made an attempt to collect files from his office indicating a potential risk of him concealing or destroying evidence crucial to his case. Also, the possibility of intimidation against other victims was high, further complicating the situation.

Chilwane’s defence revolved around his health issues; he claimed to have kidney problems and alleged a lack of medical care while in custody. 

However, judge Dosio said that there was a lack of evidence to support the claim that medical treatment was denied while in prison. He also pointed out that the medical certificate submitted during the bail application in the lower court did not indicate that he had to be admitted to the hospital.

Based on the investigative officer’s evidence, the judge said he was not convinced that Chilwane should be released. He emphasised that it was Chilwane’s responsibility to demonstrate to the court that granting his release would serve the interests of justice, a task he ultimately did not succeed in accomplishing.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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