Media personality Faith Nketsi-Njilo’s husband Nzuzo is in hot water for allegedly defrauding Johannesburg business owners of close to R1 million a month before their wedding. Business partners Blaine Evans and James Stephens opened a case of fraud against Njilo after he failed to honour his side of a R978 104 botched business deal in March this year. In his version of the issue to the police, written in a statement that was given at the Douglasdale police station a fortnight ago, Evans alleged that he and Stephens – through their company, Lund Industries – had concluded a deal to purchase copper concentrate from Njilo’s company NN Chrome Mining.
The statement read: Nzuzo Njilo defrauded us. On Friday, Evans the media that he had sent the money to Njilo’s Absa account for the order of copper, but it was never delivered to him. “I met him through a mutual friend at Bowl’d Restaurant at Masingita Towers. He told me that he was in the trucking business, and so am I, so I thought: ‘Okay, this is cool.’ He also told me that he owned a chrome mine.
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Evans said: We were in steady communication and had another meeting at Tang in Sandton, which he attended with Faith. We talked a little and discussed a few business deals. He said Njilo had told him that he had secured a mine and they began talking about an international client who wanted copper, which Njilo would supply. Evans then checked the copper on site at Pan-African Logistics, after which he communicated with the international client and paid Njilo in March. “I was given the funds from a buyer overseas and I paid them into Njilo’s account,” said Evans. He said he was meant to collect the copper at the Pan-African Logistics site when he learnt that Njilo was a middleman for the company. He was denied the copper because Njilo had not made payment to Pan African Logistics.
Evans said: I then called Njilo and he sent me proof of payment. I showed it to the people on site, but they refused to release the copper, saying that the funds had not yet reflected [on their banking statements]. I then checked the proof of payment and called Absa to ask what the hold-up was with the funds. They told me that the payment had been made, but it was a R5 payment – not the amount stipulated on the proof of payment.
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After realising that he might have been scammed, Evans hired a private investigation company to find out more about Njilo. He also secured the services of debt collectors to try to recoup the funds. Njilo met the debt collectors at So Yum restaurant in Hyde Park two days before his wedding. He promised to repay the money to Evans and Stephens. In an audio recorded at the meeting, which the media has heard, a voice purported to be Njilo’s can be heard telling the debt collectors that he is experiencing financial difficulties. He adds that he did pay Pan-African Logistics, but says the transaction was reversed.
“The money was sent, but it was reversed into our account because it wasn’t a pay-and-clear initially. After that, the funds were reversed. They didn’t go through,” says Njilo on the audio. “I understand that you guys are here to do your job and I don’t want to make your job difficult. I’m just selling my product. There are a lot of people who owe me money and I’ve had businesses go sour. I’m here to make an arrangement because I’ve had business that went sour and I’m here to commit,” he is heard saying.
He adds: I won’t come out of the blue and say I’ll make a full payment because that isn’t going to happen. The money isn’t there anymore because there are a lot of parties who had to be paid, so that money isn’t there anymore. My account was blocked. However, Evans said Njilo did not made good on his undertaking to pay, forcing him [Evans] to open a criminal case and ask his lawyers, Bazuka & Co Inc, to write a letter of demand to the businessperson. In the letter of demand, which was dated April 20, Njilo was requested to make payment within three working days, failing which the law firm would take legal action to recoup the funds.
“Despite numerous demands by our client for repayment of the said amount, you have failed to repay same. In terms of our instructions, we are to demand, as we hereby do, immediate payment into our client’s bank account within three days herefrom. Kindly be advised that we have strict instructions to institute legal proceedings against you should you fail to settle our client’s invoice by the stated date,” the letter read.
Evans said the criminal case opened against Nzuza was just a starting point and he would proceed with a civil application to recoup the money. “He has no money. It’s of utmost importance to get the money back. He needs to be arrested,” he said. When called for comment, Njilo said: I am not aware of a case opened against me. I know Blaine and James but I want to talk to them first, can you please call me back in an hour? Njilo’s phone later rang unanswered.
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