Fake Rustenburg lawyer jailed for 20 years

Rustenburg – On Monday 15 September 2025, the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court sentenced 45-year-old Kagiso Josias Selomane to 20 years’ direct imprisonment after he was found guilty on nine counts of fraud for posing as a lawyer.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) communications officer Sivenathi Gunya said between 2011 and 2015, Selomane convinced unsuspecting victims in the North West and Johannesburg that he was a qualified legal practitioner who could represent them in divorce and labour disputes. He even posed as an executor of a major bank. His scheme involved demanding upfront payments for services that were never rendered.

Investigations revealed how Selomane misled clients into sitting in empty courtrooms, claiming their matters had been postponed, while in fact no hearings had been scheduled. Over four years, he defrauded people of more than R1 million. He was arrested in October 2015 after some victims reported him to police.

State advocate Rodger Mareume argued that Selomane’s guilty plea on four counts was insincere, as he showed no remorse and failed to repay victims. Magistrate Samuel Mabogo agreed, describing the crimes as calculated and deliberate. The court also noted Selomane’s previous fraud convictions from 2017.

In line with Section 280 of Act 51 of 1977, the various sentences — ranging from three to twelve years — will run concurrently, leaving Selomane to serve an effective 20 years behind bars. He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Photo: Kagiso Josias Selomane – sentenced to 20 years for posing as a lawyer and defrauding clients of over R1 million.