Two bogus traditional healers have been sentenced to an effective 10 years behind bars for defrauding a man by promising to increase his pension payout.
Kiseka Rashid, 46, and Tony Lubenga, 34, were convicted and sentenced by the East London Regional Court recently on charges of fraud and contravention of the Immigration Act.
The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as Hawks) said Rashid and Lubenga were arrested by the East London Hawk's Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team on March 18, 2021.
“On July 1, 2019, the complaint went to visit a traditional healer at East London CBD where he was taken to a consulting room and then attended by the accused whom introduced themselves as a traditional healers,” explained Hawks spokesperson Warrant-Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana.
“During the consultation, the complainant was made to believe that he was talking to his ancestors. Subsequent to that, he was also influenced to resign from his job in order to get all his pension money, he later indeed resigned.”
Mhlakuvana said after resigning from his job he was instructed by the accused to withdraw all his pension fund money and to bring it to them with the promise that it would multiply.
“The complainant indeed followed the instruction as a result he was prejudiced cash of R3 million. The matter was then reported to the Hawks for investigation.”
The Hawks said the suspects have been awaiting trial prisoners since their arrest.
“The accused made numerous court appearances until their sentencing by the East London Regional. In addition to the 10 years they were handed three months imprisonment for contravention of Immigration Act.”
IOL News