A 25-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly cashing a friend’s winning lottery ticket worth R23,7-million, Pretoria police said on Tuesday.
The woman, a former domestic worker, allegedly used her friend’s money to buy two luxury cars, a R2-million smallholding in Bronkhorstspruit and a flat in Sunnyside, Pretoria.
The victim, apparently a close friend of the suspect and also a domestic worker, bought a R5 Lotto ticket in June, and won.
”She asked the suspect to go and verify her winning chances in town [Bronkhorstspruit],” a police statement said.
”The victim’s ticket happened to be the winner of the grand prize.”
The woman wrote her own particulars on the back of the ticket, went home, and apparently promised her friend that she would transfer the money over to her account as soon as it was transferred.
A short while later, the alleged thief and her brother arranged a celebration party, inviting the Lotto winner, her brother and the suspect’s sister.
On their way home after the party, the car they were driving was involved in an accident — leading to the Lotto winner and her brother being hospitalised.
”It is alleged that the victim’s brother was attacked by the suspect and her companions after the accident,” the police statement said.
A case of theft was being investigated, and more charges could be added.
The police said the Asset Forfeiture Unit would be approached to seize the stolen goods, pending the outcome of the investigation.
The woman was arrested at her new Sunnyside flat shortly after midday on Monday, and was due to appear in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. – Sapa