MPUMALANGA – A man pleaded guilty of masquerading as an advocate for 48 cases in court. 

Bonginkosi Chris Rumo (26) appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to 48 counts of fraud. He had pretended to be an advocate and represented people in court, including in criminal cases.   

Rumo was arrested on June 10 after officials had found a fake letter of admission, claiming to have been of the Johannesburg High Court and stating that he was an advocate.

Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, released a statement regarding his first appearance in court. She stated that the investigation revealed that he had been representing people in court from August 2018 to May this year, and that he had stood for criminal matters in the province.

Rumo was not a first-time offender, as he had committed a similar offence in 2014, when he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended on condition that he did not commit a related offence.

A source close to the investigation said the state was still looking into what would happen to all the cases Rumo had falsely represented in court.

The matter was postponed to October 23 for sentencing. 

Editor: Anchen Coetzee
Written by: Tereasa Dias
Subeditor: Wahl Lessing