Durban: A 31-year-old woman has been found guilty of defrauding her sister’s boyfriend of his pension fund worth almost R1 million.
Sophia Najjia was convicted and sentenced to 30 years behind bars in the Welkom Regional Court this week.
According to Free State police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng the victim, a 54-year-old man who is a foreign national, was residing at one of the mine premises in Welkom when he met this lady, and they fell in love with each other.
“The girlfriend introduced the mine employee to her sister (Najjia), who was introduced as a traditional healer.
“They visited the sister's residence, who claimed she wanted to show him something in Tana Street Doorn Welkom.
“He was told to buy a miracle box that is worth R2 000.
“After two days, the mine employee gave this traditional healer the money as she requested and wanted to show him how the miracle box works.
“They both asked him to put a coin inside and close this miracle box. Then the traditional healer prayed and opened the box, and there was a lot of money inside. Then he was told that the money belongs to him.”
Captain Thakeng said the woman encouraged him to retire from work so that he could make more money from the miracle box.
“During August 2020, the miner retired, and in September 2020, he received some of the retirement money to the amount of R233 000, and he gave them R232 000 to invest in the miracle box.
“In October 2020, the former mine worker took his provident fund money worth R689 000, and he gave it to his girlfriend’s sister to put it inside the miracle box.”
On November 4, 2020, he gave them the rest of the remaining money in his bank account that amounted to R12 300 and was told to wait for instructions.
“He was told to go back to his original home in our neighbouring countries to obtain the soil in his yard and come back and put it with the money so that ancestors can multiply the money into millions of rands.
“He was given R1000 when told them he did not have money to go home.”
Police said that he tried contacting his girlfriend and her sister for several days unsuccessfully.
“He even went to Tana Street in Doorn Welkom, but they were nowhere to be found.
“He became suspicious and went to Welkom Police Station to register a case.
“A case of fraud was registered and assigned to Detective Constable Neo Mothekhe of Provincial Commercial Crime Investigations.”
The traditional healer was arrested on January 23, 2021.
Najjia remained behind bars as an awaiting trial prisoner and was convicted of unfair business practice, defeating the ends of justice, fraud and illegal immigration.
Police said the girlfriend was still being sought.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Free State, Major General Solly Lesia, said when an employee suddenly wants to resign, his or her relatives must be informed about this move of retiring.
“People are losing their hard-earned pension, and it's a concern.”
IOL