Former Kaizer Chiefs Public Relations Officer (PRO) and businessman Louis Tshakoane has been arrested. Tshakoane was arrested at the funeral of long-term Sundowns official Alex "Goldfingers" Shakoane in Mamelodi today.
FUNERAL SCHEME
It is alleged that Tshakoane who has been a fugitive for four years, was wanted for running a multi-million rand funeral scheme alongside his wife and their son Louis Tshakoane JR. They allegedly defrauded the Enlightened Christian Gathering church members of millions of Rands. The church belonged to self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary who are also fugitives. Tshakoane and his family are said to have been senior members of the church and disappeared in 2019 after the police started investigating them. Tshakoane JR who is also facing charges of fraud and money laundering also skipped bail and was never seen since.
CAUGHT AT FUNERAL
Tshakoane was arrested soon after giving a speech at his fellow spin doctor and friend's funeral held today at Assemblies of God Church in Mamelodi. Sprinter, as he is affectionately known to the Kaizer Chiefs supporters, came to pay his last respect to his long-time friend before the Hawks pounced on him. It's alleged that about ten officers went to arrest him inside the church in full view of mourners and the media. Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale confirmed the incident. "A 74- years-old suspect was arrested on Tuesday at a funeral in Mamelodi, Pretoria, following an execution of a warrant of arrest in relation to an ongoing investigation into an unregistered investment scheme. The suspect is alleged to have benefited from the proceeds of the unregistered investment company known as Undercover Billionaires. He is reported to have participated in the presentations aimed at enticing potential investors with a promise of high returns. The amount of investments tendered is approximately R100 million. The second suspect, 34 years old, was arrested in a residence at Kempton Park," Mogale said. Mogale further said that the pair will appear in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court tomorrow, 17 May 2023 facing charges of fraud, theft, money laundering, and contravention of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act.
WANTED FUGITIVE
Tshakoane had been on the police's wanted list for years for his connection to his son's alleged illegal investment scheme. Tshakoane Jr is accused of running a failed multi-million Rand investment scheme, known as Undercover Billionaires, which left investors high and dry four years ago. Minutes before his arrest, Tshakoane was in high spirits describing Shakoane as a fallen giant. "I want to say this giant Alex has the spirit of Joe Frazier (a former American boxer). I can sit down every day and every night and I would say Sundowns don't know much about Alex like I do. Because he was my opponent. I used to analyse and divide him, manipulate Alex. And if there are people who are entitled to celebrate him it must be Sundowns and the nation," he said as he paid tribute to Shakoane, who died last week Sunday. "Alex was a giant, he was a calculator, and one day I got him in the dressing room. He was praying, 'the spirit of Alex and Sundowns must never die," he said.
