Durban – A Nigerian national accused of stealing the identity of South African Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s wife, Thembeka Mchunu, has been denied bail by the Empangeni Magistrate’s Court.
The 50-year-old man, identified as Ndubuisi Okeke, appeared in court on Thursday where the magistrate ruled that releasing him would not be in the interest of justice. The court heard that Okeke, who is in the country illegally, poses a flight risk and has a pattern of dishonesty-related crimes.
Okeke allegedly used Mchunu’s personal details—including her name, ID number, and banking information—to illegally purchase two smartphones from a Johannesburg-based company in October 2022.
Thembeka Mchunu, a former mayor of the King Cetshwayo District and current member of Parliament, only discovered the identity theft in 2023 while trying to purchase a vehicle. Her credit application was declined due to her name being listed as a high-risk debtor. Further investigations revealed she had unknowingly been blacklisted.
Police arrested Okeke last month, leading to his court appearance and the denial of bail.
Thembeka’s husband, Minister Senzo Mchunu, has also been a victim of digital fraud. He testified in the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court last year after his SIM card was cloned. Fraudsters used his phone number to scam people from his contact list, with some victims depositing money into an account linked to one of the suspects—who was already serving a sentence.
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