Two unregistered schools operating from the same premises on Harley Street, Ferndale, were shut down on Monday morning by a multidisciplinary team led by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation.
The schools, identified as Hillcrest International School and Academy of Sciences, were raided by a team that included Randburg police, the Department of Education, and the Department of Home Affairs following a recent tip-off that the institutions were operating without the requisite registration from the Department of Education.
Authorities arrested 10 foreign nationals allegedly involved in running the facilities: Petros Lyson (54), the director of the colleges; his sons Rawlings (30) and Rodney (25); Christian Egbonim (38); Emmanuel Ngwenya (24); Evermore Zenda (30, female); Juliet Maphiri (32, female); Faith Mwitha (22, female); Tinonmvonga Maranguza (61); and Tadiwanashe Zvichauya (18, female). Nearly 200 paying students have reportedly been victims of the fraud perpetrated by the group since 2019.
Petros Lyson faces an additional charge related to an incident at OR Tambo International Airport on August 1, 2022. He is accused of facilitating fraudulent paperwork to traffic four minors aged between 11 and 15 to Dublin, Ireland. In that case, the minors were rescued, and three arrests were made: Hilda Tenenga (also known as Hilda Dlamini), Andrew Kumbirai Masimo, and Sithembiso Mlauzi. That case is already on the court roll, with a remand scheduled for April 13, 2023, and Petros expected to join his co-accused at the Kemptonpark court.
The group appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, March 9, 2023, on charges of fraud and failure to register the institutions, which is a contravention of the South African Schools Act. Charges of contravention of the Immigration Act are also being explored pending verification of the arrested persons’ status in the country. The court remanded them in custody pending their bail application, scheduled for March 13 and March 16, 2023.