Dr Tumi tight-lipped on fraud charges against him and wife

In the wake of fraud charges levelled against him and his wife, gospel star, Dr Tumi has revealed his legal team have advised him not to comment on the allegations.

Dr Tumi topped the Twitter trends list and mainstream media headlines on Wednesday, after the Hawks confirmed he and his wife were released on bail after their arrest for allegedly defrauding the National Lotteries Board.

The couple, who were escorted by their lawyer, handed themselves over earlier on Tuesday.

In a brief statement sent to TshisaLIVE and later shared on his Twitter, the Nothing Without You hitmaker said he was unable to comment on the charges against him and his wife as per legal advice.

Dr Tumi also thanked fans for their support.

“Good day fam. Hope you all are well. We also are good. As per legal advice, kindly note that we won’t be commenting on the current media reports, as the matter is before the courts. Thank you for your understanding and support. Love to you all and wishing you a great day.” Dr Tumi said.

Hawks spokesperson Capt Ndivhuwo Mulamu confirmed the arrests in a media statement, saying that Dr Tumi, real name Tumisang Victor Makweya, 39, and his wife Kgaogelo Sara Makweya, 36, were listed as committee members at a non-profit organisation when the alleged fraud took place.

She said they allegedly submitted altered grant application documents to the National Lotteries Board for approval of funds on projects in 2018.

“The couple allegedly benefited approximately R760,000 from the funds. They handed themselves in at the Johannesburg office escorted by their attorney and were subsequently charged for fraud,” Capt Ndivhuwo said.

The case has been postponed to May 7 2021 for docket disclosure.