'Sandton Tinder Swindler' gets R500,000 bail

A Johannesburg man dubbed “the Sandton Tinder Swindler” has been granted R500,000 bail.

Amon Monara, who is accused of theft, fraud and money laundering, made a formal bail application at the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Wednesday. He is accused of swindling money from women he allegedly met through Tinder.

In an affidavit submitted to court to oppose Monara’s bail application, Lt-Col Sello Mohapelo, the investigating officer in the case, said the state had received a complaint from a woman who was a stakeholder manager at a public entity. She was in a relationship with Monara, a 43-year-old Ugandan national.

Monara allegedly made a business proposal to the woman, and claimed he needed money to start the business.

The woman, according to the investigating officer, told Monara she did not have the money.

After much persuasion, the woman borrowed money from two of her friends to fund the business Monara had proposed to start. She gave him a total of R3m — R1.7m of which was in cash, and R1.3m deposited into Monara’s account.

“Once the applicant got the money, he disappeared and left the complainant with a huge debt to service. The complainant realised the relationship between them was a scam, as the applicant came into her life with the intention to defraud her,” said Mohapelo.

According to Mohapelo, during the period in which the money was paid into Monara’s account, he bought a Mercedes-Benz.

Monara is alleged to have defrauded another woman of R42,000.

Mohapelo said there were several other women who claimed they were defrauded by Monara.

Police believe Monara obtained his visa fraudulently, citing an affidavit from his ex-wife.

Mohapelo said the state was opposing bail because of the seriousness of the charges.

“The state has a prima facie case against the applicant. There is a good likelihood that if the applicant is released on bail it would result in him tampering with evidence not yet obtained by the state,” Mohapelo’s affidavit reads.

He said there was a likelihood that, if granted bail, Monara would intimidate witnesses. He would also attempt to evade trial.

In his affidavit read out by his lawyer, Eric Bryer, Monara pleaded innocence. 

“I wish to disclose to this honourable court that I am innocent of the charges being preferred against me,” the affidavit reads.

Monara, 43, said he lives in Midrand and is employed at a tyre and wheel company, where he earns R35,000 a month. He has two children with his ex-wife, aged 16 and nine.

He said he has a previous conviction of fraud and a pending case of common assault.

“There is no risk of absconding. I have no desire to flee from the SAPS nor to avoid due and proper administration of justice,” he said.

He said he would stand trial and would not commit any crime when released on bail.

Monara is due back in court on April 29.

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