Caught & cuffed
Charles gets a nasty surprise when the cops come calling.
Skeem Saam Weekdays SABC1 (*191) 18:30
Greedy businessman Charles (Masilo Magoro) has been operating as an illegal money lender since late 2016 and Turfloop hates him for his actions, like hiring someone to beat up his clients when they can’t pay him back. Charles should’ve listened when the cops gave him a warning earlier in January 2017 though, because his bad business is going to see him behind bars. Charles sells Sister Mokarati’s (Dipuo Kgaphola) fridge that he took when she missed a payment – it had sentimental value to her and the devastated woman reports Charles to the police on Friday 20 January.
HIDE & SEEK
Money isn’t the only issue on Charles’s mind, Masilo explains. “He starts dodging the police on Tuesday 24 January and he’s also avoiding calls from the people he’s in debt to.” On Wednesday 25 January, Captain Malebana (Arthur Molepo) hits the jackpot and he finds Charles, who he arrests for stealing other peoples’ property. He’s released while the police investigate the matter but there’s a problem for the businessman – they’ve frozen his bank account. “Charles needs a big deposit for a new business that he’s interested in but he can’t access his money while he’s being investigated,” says Masilo. Just when Charles thinks that his world is over, an angel visits him in the form of his ex-sister-in-law Celia (Shoki Sebotsana) – on Thursday 26 January she gives him back the money that he lent her earlier in January to pay for her daughter and his niece Rachel’s (Lesego Marakalla) varsity fees. “He has been chasing after Celia for weeks and he’s grateful that his family is there to help him, especially because he could be going to jail if the police find anything,” says Masilo.
SUPERWOMAN TO THE RESCUE
Charles is trying to grow the Kunutu empire by opening a fried- chicken franchise. That’s hanging by a thread because he might not be able to make his payments to the franchise bosses. On Monday 30 January, he gets a visit at his spaza shop from Sebolaishi (Manoko Mokhari). She’s a victim of his loanshark business but she has a soft heart – she gives Charles a shoulder to cry on rather than fight with him. “She has good timing,” says Masilo. “Charles is feeling low and Sebolaishi tries to make him feel better by giving him advice – to close his money-lending business.” That will solve some of his problems, but Charles now a town full of enemies waiting for their opportunity to strike.