OCJ alerts public to WhatsApp impersonator using Justice Ngcukaitobi’s identity

What the OCJ said

The OCJ emphasised that misrepresenting a person or a state of affairs can amount to a criminal act. In a public notice the office warned:“The public is warned not to fall prey to this impersonator and need to be aware that misrepresenting a state of affairs knowing that it is not true; to the prejudice of someone else, is fraud.”

The office also urged members of the public and media to confirm the authenticity of any communications attributed to judges before accepting them as genuine. The OCJ advised:

“Members of the public and media are requested to contact the OCJ to verify the authenticity of any communication, directive, article, or social media post that purports to be that of a Judge.”

How the impersonation was identified

The OCJ’s notice identified the specific WhatsApp number used by the impersonator and the display name on the platform. The office’s public warning is intended to prevent people from responding to or acting on messages that appear to come from a judicial officer but are not genuine.

Context and related alerts

The recent warning follows an earlier OCJ alert on October 7 about an individual impersonating Supreme Court of Appeal Deputy President Justice Dumisani Zondi. The repetition of such alerts underlines the OCJ’s concern about fraudulent messages circulated in the names of judges.

Why this matters

Impersonation of public officials can cause reputational harm, spread false information and expose recipients to attempts to extract money, personal details or other favours. When messages are crafted to appear authoritative because they carry a judge’s name or photograph, recipients may be more likely to act without checking.

General steps readers can take

Based on the OCJ’s guidance and standard safety measures for unsolicited messages, members of the public can take simple precautions:

• Do not engage with suspicious accounts or respond to requests for money, personal details or urgent action.
• Preserve evidence: keep screenshots and message details if you receive a suspicious communication.
• Verify authenticity: contact the OCJ directly to confirm whether a communication genuinely came from a judge or the judiciary before treating it as official.
• Report the account: report impersonation to the messaging platform so it can investigate and take action.

What the OCJ will do

In its notice the OCJ said the matter would be reported to the relevant authorities. The office’s public statements focus on warning people not to fall for impersonators and on directing the media and public to seek verification from the OCJ when in doubt.

Takeaway

The OCJ’s alert is a reminder that impersonation attempts using judges’ names and images are an ongoing concern. The office is asking the public and media to remain vigilant, to avoid engaging with the account registered as “Justice T Ngcukaitobi” on WhatsApp and to contact the OCJ to verify any suspicious communication attributed to a judicial officer.