Germiston: The Germiston Regional Court has sentenced extortionist Ndumiso Bhengu to five years’ imprisonment for an extortion case opened in Bedfordview, Gauteng. Bhengu’s conviction stems from a 2025 case where he deceived a complainant into believing her life was in danger.

According to South African Government News Agency, the case began in January 2025 when Bhengu contacted the complainant with a false claim that one of her colleagues had hired him to arrange her murder. He further alleged possession of a recording as proof of the conspiracy and demanded R5,000 in exchange for it. Out of fear for her safety, the complainant initially paid R2,500.

After receiving the payment, Bhengu cut off all communication with the complainant. This prompted her to report the matter to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Head Office: Crime against the State (HO-CATS), which launched an investigation into the incident.

An intelligence-driven operation was conducted on 25 January 2025 in the Vaal D
istrict by DPCI HO-CATS, Crime Intelligence Head Office, and the Sedibeng K9 unit, leading to Bhengu’s arrest on 28 January 2025. During his arrest, several items linked to the offense were seized as evidence.

Bhengu made his first court appearance at the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on 30 January 2025, where he was formally charged. His bail was opposed successfully, and he remained in custody throughout the court proceedings.