Durban - “It’s not even about the money anymore; I just want him to tell me why he felt it was okay for them to do this to me”
This is according to a Durban woman scammed out of more than R500 000 by her Pietermaritzburg boyfriend and his brother.
Police have sent out an email requesting assistance in locating a man they believe could assist in this case.
According to police, the woman said she withdrew a large amount of cash on June 2, believed to be over R500 000, which she received after she terminated her employment. Captain Nqobile Gwala said the woman then went to Northdale in Pietermaritzburg to see her boyfriend and his brother, a traditional healer.
“On arrival at the traditional healer’s residence, she was instructed to place the money in a prayer-room so that her ancestors could double her money.
“The victim did as requested, and the brothers called upon the ancestors to do the necessary,” she said.
Gwala said the woman was then asked to buy alcohol to celebrate her good fortune, so she went to a nearby store. “When she returned with her boyfriend from the store, she realised that the traditional healer had disappeared with her hard-earned cash.
“The boyfriend assisted in the search and then he also disappeared. The victim then realised that it was a scam, and immediately informed the police.”
The woman, who asked not to be named, said she had known her boyfriend since last year, but they had not started dating yet.
She said in October he began speaking about her leaving her job of 20 years.
“Soon thereafter, I saw an article in Isolezwe about a woman who was scammed by a brother and traditional healer of R1.8million. I kept this article, and I asked if this was not about him and his brother. He told me that not all people are the same. I was reluctant to do what he wanted me to do,” she said.
However, she finally caved in in February, describing the experience like being under a spell. She said they officially began dating and living together in March. She felt like a prisoner the entire time, but did nothing about it for some unknown reason.
“My home is in Durban. I used to go home at least twice a month, but when I was dating him, I stopped going home;
“I was always in Pietermaritzburg. He would leave in my car in the morning, saying he was going to work. I never knew where he worked and I didn’t find this strange; I was under some spell.”
She said on Women’s Day her boyfriend sent her a message on Facebook, saying he was sorry and never meant to scam her. “He told me it was his brother’s idea, not his, and that I must stop looking for him. I didn’t reply. He’s destroyed my life. I have been looking for work, and have to start from scratch.”
If you know the whereabouts of the man in the photo, call Detective Warrant Officer Sydney Reddy on 0333879611 or Crime Stop on 0860010111.