Man makes off with student’s tuition fee

POLOKWANE – The Mankweng police are investigating a case of theft after an unknown man ran off with cash belonging to a student at the University of Limpopo (UL).

According to spokesperson for the Mankweng police, Const Matimba Maluleke, the incident happened last week Wednesday outside the university campus premises.

Maluleke said the victim, who is 20 years old, was robbed of money meant to pay for her tuition.

The victim allegedly alighted from a car which she hitchhiked from Tzaneen to Turfloop together with the suspect whom she had just met and was travelling with.

When they arrived at the campus’ Gate 2, the suspect allegedly requested the victim to go and collect his money from a certain lecturer just a heartbeat from the above mentioned gate.

The suspect allegedly told the student to leave her bag as he said he did not trust her.

The victim agreed to the request and left her bag with the suspect and raced to the place where she was told she will meet the lecturer.

However, she did not find the lecturer.

When she returned to the spot where she had left the suspect and her luggage, the suspect was gone along with her bag.

The victim reported that inside her bag there was a cell phone, R1 500 cash and other valuable items.

Maluleke said: “we just want to plead with prospective students at the universities to not trust, entertain or succumb to strangers who may seem to be helpful or seeking help as they may be robbed at the end of the day.

“Even at the ATM queues they must not give their money, bank cards or ATM pin codes to strangers and they must watch out for bogus police officers.”

At the time of going to press, Maluleke said no one had been arrested.

However, he confirmed that investigations are underway.