Four men have each received an effective 15-year prison sentence for using fake Grindr profiles to lure, kidnap and rob victims across South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.
The Durban Regional Court sentenced Khumdulani Ngubane, Nkanyiso Ndebele, Celimpilo Nkomo and Mzwemvelo Ngubane on Wednesday, 15 July, following a series of attacks in Ballito, Umhlanga and Durban North during 2023.
Investigators identified several additional incidents linked to the group. However, only three cases proceeded to prosecution after a number of victims chose not to lay charges for personal reasons.
Men Lured Through Fake Dating Profiles
The group created fake profiles on Grindr, a location-based social networking and dating app used largely by gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.
According to Marshall Security Special Operations manager Zandré Grobler, the profiles were used to arrange supposed dates at hotels and guesthouses.
When victims arrived, they were ambushed, assaulted and restrained. The men then stole valuables, including mobile phones and bank cards, and forced victims to reveal their PINs.
Some members of the group allegedly guarded the victims while others travelled to cash machines and withdrew money from their bank accounts. The attackers then fled, leaving their victims behind.
Sentences Ordered to Run Concurrently
Khumdulani Ngubane and Nkanyiso Ndebele were each convicted on three counts of kidnapping and three counts of robbery.
Their individual sentences totalled 57 years before the court ordered that several terms be served at the same time.
Celimpilo Nkomo and Mzwemvelo Ngubane were each convicted on one count of kidnapping and one count of robbery. Their combined sentences amounted to 19 years each.
Because the court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, all four men will serve effective terms of 15 years’ imprisonment.
High-Speed Chase Led to Arrests
Marshall Security first became aware of the group’s activities in July 2023.
The four men were arrested later that year after the security company’s Special Operations Team responded to reports of suspected robbers fleeing a hotel in Umhlanga.
A high-speed pursuit followed along the N2 motorway before all four suspects were apprehended and handed over to officers from Durban North SAPS.
Grobler praised Ethekwini District Task Team detective constable Siphosenkosi Shezi for his work investigating the cases and helping secure the convictions.
Victims May Face Barriers to Reporting
While investigators discovered evidence of further alleged attacks, several potential complainants decided not to participate in criminal proceedings.
Victims targeted through LGBTQ+ dating platforms can face additional barriers when reporting crimes, including fears about privacy, stigma or being forced to disclose their sexuality to family members, employers or authorities.
The fact that some victims declined to lay charges does not diminish the seriousness of what they experienced or transfer responsibility away from those who targeted them.
Two other trials involving groups accused of targeting Grindr users were also under way in Johannesburg and Pretoria when the KwaZulu-Natal sentences were reported.
Dating-App Users Urged to Take Precautions
Marshall Security encouraged people using dating apps to arrange initial meetings in public places and tell a trusted person where they are going.
Users can also consider sharing their live location with someone they trust, arranging a check-in time and avoiding travelling to an unfamiliar private location before they feel confident about the person they are meeting.
Suspicious profiles, threats and criminal activity should be reported to the platform and police. Victims should not be blamed for crimes committed by people who deliberately deceive and target dating-app users.
The convictions bring one chapter of the 2023 crime spree to an end, with all four men now facing substantial prison terms for the kidnappings and robberies.
