Retired worker tricked by toy boy
“After meeting him and telling him that I wanted a traditional healer who could heal my mentally ill child, he told me that we should be lovers so that he could help me with my son as well as my four other kids. He showed me papers declaring him as a traditional healer and businessman,” said Mashele.
A retired Umjindi Municipality worker who dated a toy boy 23 years her junior, has been left heartbroken after he tricked her out of R230 000 of her retirement money.
Ruth Mashele (51) who resides in Extension 13 in Emjindini, has worked for the municipality for 12 years and retired with a payout of R260 000.
Mashele said she met her toy boy in August last year after seeing pamphlets claiming he could cure any illness.
Her son is mentally ill. “After meeting him and telling him that I wanted a traditional healer who could heal my mentally ill child, he told me that we should be lovers so that he could help me with my son as well as my four other kids. He showed me papers declaring him as a traditional healer and businessman,” said Mashele.
She said she told him that he was too young for her but the toy boy insisted that they become lovers so he could help her children.
“He convinced me and we became lovers. In January this year he told me that he wanted to turn me into a big businesswoman. He then brought two trunks filled with cash and said it was the money he wanted to use to start my businesses. I told him that I wanted a butchery, bottle store, a BMW X5, Ford Ranger, a Quantum kombi and a tractor loader back hoe,” said Mashele.
He told me that there was enough money in the trunk to make my dreams come true but I had to quit my job first.
“When I resigned and received the money, he convinced me to withdraw the cash and give him R230 000. He said he was going to buy a house. I trusted him and did as he ordered me,” said Mashele.
She said she realized later that he had tricked her when he disappeared for days without visiting her.
“I then forced open the trunks and to my surprise, found pieces of paper and rocks inside. He vanished with all my money, leaving me with trunks full of rocks and papers,” said Mashele.
Const Tutu Nkosi, Barberton police spokesman, confirmed the incident. “A case of theft under false pretence was opened and the investigation is still pending,” said Nkosi.
Meanwhile, police are looking for Ssenyanga Isimah, also known as Frank, who is a Ugandan national, to assist them with their investigation.
