The South African Police Service (SAPS) is probing two cases in the North West province, where two women have opened fraud cases against a Ghanaian national known only as Kareem. Kareem, who drove a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, has since vanished, prompting the SAPS to circulate his picture in the media.
In recent months, IOL has been running a series on scams, giving a platform to numerous women across South Africa to speak out after being scammed in widespread romance frauds.
The victims, often gainfully employed single mothers, were approached by men who quickly professed love and promised them dream marriages.
Most of the scammed victims were introduced to fake rituals where they were taken into "prayer rooms" and heard voices of "ancestors" promising them trunk loads of money.
The stupefied women were then coaxed to resign from work or take out huge bank loans and bring the money to the newfound boyfriends, who then vanished without a trace.
However, police said in the latest case, the two women were scammed by one man, identified by the victims as Kareem.
Responding to queries by IOL, North West provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, said the wanted man, believed to be from Ghana, drives a black Jeep Grand Cherokee with registration plates including JH 63 ZF GP or KPK 700 NW.
"Two cases were opened in March 2024 in Tlhabane and Mogwase respectively. The victims were both scammed by the suspect known as Kareem. In Tlhabane, a 45-year-old victim was working at the mines in Rustenburg when she met the suspect in town in January 2024," said Mokgwabone.
Both women, Sithembile and Sthembeni (the women’s real names are withheld to protect them), fell in love with Kareem. With Sthembile, Kareem allegedly did not waste time before persuading her to resign from her job at the Rustenburg mines.
"They started dating, and this Ghanaian suspect convinced her to leave her job. She resigned immediately in early March. The suspect asked her to lend him R170,000 on the condition that he would repay the money with interest," said Mokgwabone. "Afterwards, the alleged boyfriend disappeared. No arrests have been made at this stage."
While the romantic relationship blossomed with Sthembile, Kareem was also enjoying another relationship with 35-year-old Sthembeni in Mogwase. Sthembeni told police she met Kareem at a shopping mall in January this year, and a love relationship soon blossomed.
"In February, the suspect asked the victim to lend him money, and she gave him all her savings, amounting to R60,000. The suspect (Kareem) disappeared three days later. No arrest has been effected."
After Kareem vanished, the two women went looking for him at his known residence and found it vacant.
Earlier this month, IOL reported that police in North West have launched a manhunt for an audacious scammer who targeted a woman, a member of the police, pursued a romantic relationship with her, and later conned her out of almost R3 million.
During the romantic relationship, the Ugandan national pretended to be a medical doctor and swindled the unsuspecting 53-year-old police captain.
Mokgwabone said the wanted man in his 30s was known as Kalvin Sofika by the policewoman. "The 53-year-old victim met the suspect, who is a Ugandan national, at a shopping complex in Rustenburg around September last year.
He introduced himself as Dr. Kalvin Sofika, and they exchanged contact details. The woman and the suspect, Kalvin Sofika, who is in his late 30s, started dating," said Mokgwabone.
"In the process of dating, Sofika asked the woman to take loans for him, which she did. He further convinced her to leave her job as a captain in the police service."
IOL