THOHOYANDOU – The Thohoyandou regional court is expected to be filled to capacity today (Friday), as scores of people who lost the money they invested with a bogus pyramid scheme, Kopanang/Tanganani are expected to attend the hearing. A couple that allegedly disappeared with their R15 million, will be applying for bail.

The couple, Frank Kutumba Kwezi (33), a Zambian national and his lover Dorcus Pitso (30) of Northwest Province, were arrested last week after a long search by the police, which has lasted since 1997, when the couple disappeared.

According to a police spokesperson, Capt. Ailwei Mushavha-namadi, the couple were running an illegal pyramid scheme called "Kopanang" or "Tanganani" in Thohoyandou six years ago.

Although police tried to warn the community to stop investing money in that scheme, more than 500 000 people invested their money with the scheme. Some of the people invested up to R100 000.

In March 1997, the couple disappeared with an estimated amount of R15 million, which had been invested by the unsuspecting community. Police then opened a case of fraud against the couple.

After a long search, a Limpopo commercial branch unit, which is headed by Capt Takalani Nematswerani, managed to nab the couple following a tip-off from the community.

"Our sources in-formed us that the couple, who had been living a life of luxury, had separated after they had had some differences a few months back. We then traced Pitso to her home in Mmabatho, where we arrested her last week Thursday. Following our leads, we also found Kwezi in his R2,4 million house in Cape Town, where we arrested him on Tuesday. Kwezi was also running a different business," said Mushavhanamadi.

Police said the couple separated last year December after Pitso found Kwezi with another girl in their Cape Town mansion. The couple have assets in Northwest and Cape Town that include three houses and eleven expensive cars, all of them registered in the names of Pitso.

Mushavhanamadi, who ascribed their success to the cooperation they received from the community, appealed to the investors to keep their receipts so that they could be presented in court when the couple appear.

"We are very proud of this major break-through. This clearly indicates that cooperation between police and the community cannot be defeated," said Mushavhanamadi.

The couple appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court on Friday and the case was postponed until next Friday when they will appear for a bail application.

For any further inquiries, Mushavhanamadi said the affected community can contact Nematwerani on 083 314 5651.