Boyfriend and alleged prophetess arrested after a woman lost R650K in love scam, luxury cars seized by Hawks
A suspected 27-year-old dating scammer and his 32-years-old accomplice are on Thursday expected to appear before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court, following their arrest earlier this week.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also known as the Hawks) said during the month of September, an unsuspecting woman “randomly met” the 27-year-old man in Polokwane.
He was driving a white Mercedes-Benz, and the Hawks said after that September encounter, the 27-year-old man and the 39-year-old woman started dating.
“While enjoying the new love, the victim (the woman) told the suspect (the boyfriend) about her personal problems and the suspect promised to hook her up with the spiritual healer, a ‘prophetess’, who was going to cast away all her problems,” Hawks spokesperson in Limpopo, Lieutenant Colonel Matimba Maluleke said.
The 39-year-old woman alleges that she was introduced to the so-called prophetess, who told her she was going to assist in getting rid of the problems.
“According to the victim, they engaged in prayers with the suspect (the boyfriend) and the ‘prophetess’ for about a week,” said Maluleke.
“In one of the prayer sessions, the prophetess came driving a BMW X6, carrying R4 million hard cash in a bag. The victim was told the money was hers, from her ancestors, but she had to pay 10 percent of the total amount in order to get it.”
As the 39-year-old woman did not have money, she went to the bank and applied for a loan of R650,000 and she gave it to the “prophetess”.
After a while, the woman tried to contact her boyfriend and the prophetess but they were not reachable.
“While the victim was still confused, she allegedly received a call from a property rental agent in Polokwane, enquiring about the luxury house she rented at a place called Woodhill Estate in Polokwane,” said Maluleke.
The 39-year-old woman insists she had never rented such a place. She then discovered that her particulars were fraudulently used in the transaction, and she reported the matter to the Hawks.
“On November 27, members of the Hawks visited the address at Woodhill Estate and found two vehicles, the white Mercedes-Benz and the BMW X6 parked in the garage that was wide open. Unfortunately, nobody was found inside the house, but the vehicles were seized as they were previously used by the suspect and the accomplice when they met with the victim,” said Maluleke.
On December 12, Maluleke said information was received that another Mercedes-Benz vehicle that was used by the boyfriend had been spotted in Potchefstroom, North West province.
“Through a proper coordination, the vehicle was followed and the suspect, together with his accomplice, were arrested,” the Hawks said.
Meanwhile, provincial head of the Hawks in Limpopo, Major General Gopz Govender has expressed gratitude to the investigation team for cracking “such a complex case”.
Govender said several dating scams were being investigated across the province.
“We are investigating a number of dating scam cases in the province where the victims lost their fortunes in the name of love. I am happy that today we managed to make a breakthrough by arresting the alleged scammers,” he said.
“I believe more arrests will be made in other cases that are still under investigation.”
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