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- A man who allegedly faked his death for 23 years has been arrested.
- His wife lodged a claim at Old Mutual insurance and R1.7 million was paid out, according to the Hawks.
- It is alleged that the man used his dead father-in-law's name.
A Gauteng man has been charged with fraud after he allegedly faked his death, assumed a dead man's identity, and lived "a low-key life" along the picturesque Garden Route, where he was found on Tuesday - 23 years later.
Robin Smith, 67, was arrested along with his wife, Alice Abigail Boschoff, 59.
According to the Hawks, Smith assumed the identity of his father-in-law, Chris Boshoff, who died many years ago.
Hawks spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha, said the couple lived in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni at the time they "connived and faked Smith's death".
"Consequently, an insurance claim was registered at Old Mutual insurance, leading to a payout of just over R1.7 million," said Ramovha.
They "quietly left Gauteng to [head to] KwaZulu-Natal after receiving the windfall".
He said:
Ramovha added that Smith opened an auto repair shop and that his wife carried out the business' administrative duties.
"Around 2020, Old Mutual was tipped off about the possibility that they were scammed as Smith was apparently very much alive."
Following an internal probe, a fraud docket was registered in October 2020 and assigned to the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime team.
He said: "The team tirelessly traced the couple to a hideout in Knysna, leading to their arrest on Tuesday. Upon searching their place, two unlicensed firearms were recovered. A case of unlawful possession of firearms has now been included."
Ramovha could not say whether the couple had any children or whether their families knew Smith was still alive.
However, he said they lived a "very low-key life" since 1999.
They appeared in the Knysna Magistrate's Court on Wednesday and are expected to be transferred to Gauteng.
