Military troop imposter arrested

A photo of him, standing under a 4 SA Infantry Battalion sign in Middelburg, was published on the Rapport’s front page.

The photo caused Middelburg residents to ask if the ghost soldier was ever stationed here.

According to reports, Thapelo Mokgosi posed as a soldier for years and had even his family and close friends fooled.
He was arrested after he was flagged during the clearing in process for the 21 SA Infantry Battalion before president Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration in May.

Mokgosi sent photos of himself, kitted in military uniform and a semi automatic rifle, at Winnie Mandela’s funeral, as well as the one taken in Middelburg, to his family. Mokgosi’s family provided the photos to Rapport.

4 SAI’s communication officer was away on training and could not speak to www.mobserver.co.za about whether Mokgosi was ever stationed in Middelburg.
Local troops said that they do not know Mokgosi and doubt that he was ever stationed here.

The sign under which he posed on the photo has been replaced by a new one years ago.

One troop said that he has been stationed at 4 SAI since 2011 and he has never seen the sign on the photo before it was circulated in the media.

Another troop said that she was very unhappy about what Mokgosi did, but that she has never seen him before.

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