Money missing after sangoma’s visit

Ivory Park police are asking the local community for help to locate a man who allegedly stole money from an Ebony Park pensioner.

In a statement from Ivory Park Police Station on 31 July, the spokesperson, Captain Bernard Matimulane, explained they are looking for a man who allegedly swindled more than R1 million from a pensioner after claiming he would increase the money in miraculous ways.

According to the statement, “The wanted man, who is also a traditional healer, instructed the 56-year-old former municipal employee to cash in his money. The pensioner then withdrew his money in tranches and placed it inside his house in a steel box that he received from the traditional healer.

“Thereafter the traditional healer then instructed the victim and his wife to go outside to perform a ritual, while he was inside the house with the steel box.

“When the man and his wife went back into the house they found water on the steel box and were further instructed to perform more rituals. After the so-called rituals, the traditional healer took his bag and left.”

Captain Matimulane added that the money had been placed in the steel box in June, but eventually in July the couple discovered that the money was gone.

“The couple said that they only realised the money was gone after the wife went and opened the box, looking for some money to go buy household needs.

“The manner as to how the money disappeared is not clear, but it may be that the healer took the money while the couple was out doing the rituals he instructed they perform.”

According to the couple, when they opened the box, they could only find papers inside the steel box and no money.

A case has since been opened at the Ivory Park Police Station, and police are urging community members to assist them in solving the case and finding the man.

Details: Ivory Park Police Station 011 990 9600.

Related Article: 

https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/191485/woman-loses-her-money-in-a-scam/