An alleged 27-year-old dating scammer and his 32 years old accomplice have been remanded in custody after they appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court, following their arrest earlier this week.

The two, Yiga Siraje Lubega and Rhoda Betsey Mirembe, are accused of working collaboratively to scam an unsuspecting 39-year-old Limpopo province woman, who lost more than 600,000 rands (26 million naira) after meeting and getting into a romantic relationship with Lubega.

IOL understands that the alleged scammers, Lubega and Mirembe, claim to be from Uganda, in East Africa, but law enforcement agencies in South Africa are also investigating the allegations.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also known as the Hawks) said during the month of September, the Limpopo woman, whose name is withheld, “randomly met” the 27-year-old man, Lubega, in Polokwane.

Lubega was driving a white Mercedes-Benz, and the Hawks said that 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 Limpopo woman) told the suspect (Lubega) 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 (Lubega) and the ‘prophetess’ for about a week,” said Maluleke.

“In one of the prayer sessions, the prophetess (Mirembe) came driving a BMW X6, carrying R4 million (N172 million) in 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 Limpopo woman did not have money, she went to the bank and applied for a loan of R650,000 (N30 million), and she gave it to the "prophetess”.

After a while, the woman tried to contact her boyfriend, Lubega, and the prophetess, Mirembe, but they were no longer 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 has 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 Lubega had been spotted in Potchefstroom, in neighbouring North West province.

"Through proper coordination, the vehicle was followed, and the suspect, together with his accomplice, were arrested,” the Hawks said.

When Lubega and Mirembe appeared in court on Thursday, they were remanded in custody until Monday next week for a formal bail application.


LOVE SCAMS BECOMING COMMON


The Hawks said such cases have become frequent.

“Since the cases of fraud and dating scams are continuing to be reported to the Hawks, the potential victims - particularly well-to-do single/widowed women - are advised to be careful of the scammers who would come into their lives in the name of love,” said Maluleke.

According to the Hawks, the scammers mainly target the following categories of single women:

– Women with stable jobs, and the scammers often convince them to resign.

– Women who are recently divorced and have acquired some assets, and the scammers convince them to register assets under their names or to sell off the assets.

– Women who are in business, and the scammers come up with fake business proposals that need funding.

– Women who have inherited considerable wealth.

– Women who are about to retire.

– Women who are widows.

nnn

Chaii.. Samantha124 come and look at these scammers. I don't want you to be their victim too. Anytime you need a hook up, just Dm.

Greed.

She suffer loses because of greed, trying to claim a suppose ''ancestorial fortune''.

South Africans seem to love consulting prophetesses a lot

You see those Ladies from Limpopo dey no dey carry prick play. In kcee voice oya Limpopo

A love scam scandal.

Chai..





Imagine the bony face idiot!


Ewu Gambia!!

Na boys de run am.

It is well....

In one of the prayer sessions, the prophetess (Mirembe) came driving a BMW X6, carrying R4 million (N172 million) in 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.

Eniti n wa ifa n wa ofo.

As the 39-year-old Limpopo woman did not have money, she went to the bank and applied for a loan of R650,000 (N30 million), and she gave it to the "prophetess”

Wickedness!
Imagine duping one of a loan . So they expect her to spend years servicing the loan she didn't use. Is that not a death sentence? Fraudsters are killers indeed.

Just another day in Africa.

...

Uganda too dey scam




Check out our short film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNnjLhPLFWg?si=99SlJvBTVHctP1sS

good.No 9jA gunman

At the end of the day, they never use such money for any meaningful thing.

All this risk and stress just to steal money that you can't enjoy or spend in peace.

Sorry, all because of love. But men do die for love

Interesting that the South Africa that claims abuse of innocence against Nigerians also engages in scamming others. As poorly planned and executed as this was, the fact remains that they're no better than the foreigners they frequently accuse.

And I dey here dey think say this "format" na old school..

Back in the days of Yahoo mail, na dis format dey reign.

Smh

i thought they say it's only Nigerians that are scammers, Hahaha 😄 600,000 rands is 27 million naira, Damn! our naira is weaker

Ok

Make we leave the scam fes

Na wetin I see so abi na eye de pain me
South African Rand 4,000,000 rands na ₦172,000,000

Just 4 million heigad
There was a country called Nigeria

MzansiCoolio:
An alleged 27-year-old dating scammer and his 32 years old accomplice have been remanded in custody after they appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate's Court, following their arrest earlier this week.

The two, Yiga Siraje Lubega and Rhoda Betsey Mirembe, are accused of working collaboratively to scam an unsuspecting 39-year-old Limpopo province woman, who lost more than 600,000 rands (26 million naira) after meeting and getting into a romantic relationship with Lubega.

IOL understands that the alleged scammers, Lubega and Mirembe, claim to be from Uganda, in East Africa, but law enforcement agencies in South Africa are also investigating the allegations.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also known as the Hawks) said during the month of September, the Limpopo woman, whose name is withheld, “randomly met” the 27-year-old man, Lubega, in Polokwane.

Lubega was driving a white Mercedes-Benz, and the Hawks said that 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 Limpopo woman) told the suspect (Lubega) 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 (Lubega) and the ‘prophetess’ for about a week,” said Maluleke.

“In one of the prayer sessions, the prophetess (Mirembe) came driving a BMW X6, carrying R4 million (N172 million) in 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 Limpopo woman did not have money, she went to the bank and applied for a loan of R650,000 (N30 million), and she gave it to the "prophetess”.

After a while, the woman tried to contact her boyfriend, Lubega, and the prophetess, Mirembe, but they were no longer 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 has 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 Lubega had been spotted in Potchefstroom, in neighbouring North West province.

"Through proper coordination, the vehicle was followed, and the suspect, together with his accomplice, were arrested,” the Hawks said.

When Lubega and Mirembe appeared in court on Thursday, they were remanded in custody until Monday next week for a formal bail application.


LOVE SCAMS BECOMING COMMON


The Hawks said such cases have become frequent.

“Since the cases of fraud and dating scams are continuing to be reported to the Hawks, the potential victims - particularly well-to-do single/widowed women - are advised to be careful of the scammers who would come into their lives in the name of love,” said Maluleke.

According to the Hawks, the scammers mainly target the following categories of single women:

– Women with stable jobs, and the scammers often convince them to resign.

– Women who are recently divorced and have acquired some assets, and the scammers convince them to register assets under their names or to sell off the assets.

– Women who are in business, and the scammers come up with fake business proposals that need funding.

– Women who have inherited considerable wealth.

– Women who are about to retire.

– Women who are widows.

IQ
IQ
IQ
IQ
Please i need more IQ. Thank you.

Noted.

Thank God no be Nigerian person

There are some scam cases that you hear about and pity the victims.




But in this case, I have hardly any sympathy for the victim.





The prophetesses brought in a bag full of supposed ancestral money and asked the victim to make some sort of a redemption using 10% of the ancestral money. Anyone with an aorta of sense would have recognized the ploy. It is commonplace for fraudsters to claim that you have won something, and then ask you to redeem your prize with some amount of money. IGNORANCE mixed with GREED of a high proportion.




After the proposal, the victim rushed to her bank to take a loan of 600,000 rands to redeem ancestral money that she didn't work for or that she was never in the know about. STUPIDITY of the highest order.





It is understandable when you fall for religious scams where a false prophet claims to see your bright future and asks for a token in the form of seed sowing. But to fall for a scam that requires you to pay a whole 600,000 rands is the height of stupidity.





If it were I, I would ask questions until the scammers lose patience, and they always lose patience quickly as soon as they realize that you are outsmarting them.

Even some poor African countries houses dey better pass Nigerian own.
who curse Nigeria like this?


Even the small music and movie dun dey wan get k leg.

for music, seyi vibez, he dey try but him song na wash. No be even upcoming, na bathroom singer. That him concept na one or two concept songs, now he wan turn am to him forever style.

Asake, he dey try, but him style na force force, well sha, him na strictly yoruba artist, wey everybody dey manage for now.

Odumodu black dey try. Him get the effort, but him songs no dey too sweet, he be like bathroom singer like seyi vibez. Wash music. Dey do confra talk, that one na song.
Odumodu suppose begin dey package himself as manager, I think he go win global accolade that way, and him na a good student of music; he go get the ear for great music, but he no fit do am himself; e no dey translate for him songs. Maybe for one or two songs, he try well. the rest na manage, wey person dey use listen.

Burna boy before this last album, was a bright spot.


Then Nigerian movies, if e never pass go and get married, or my son, my daughter, or somehow money just appear, dem never start.


Hopefully, the music and movies go still dey. Hopefully, 2024, Nigeria go still bring out great artist and music. Something better than these bathroom baffing trial music wey person dey hear.


As for the original story, they are all naive.

Thank God they were caught...

Scammers are everywhere ... the only safe place from scammers is in your room with noone else but yourself.

One word, Greed!

Are u sure they are real 'ugandans'?, They should do proper investigations oo because some countries can metamorphose to other nationalities to commit crime

aremubabs:
There are some scam cases that you hear about and pity the victims.




But in this case, I have hardly any sympathy for the victim.





The prophetesses brought in a bag full of supposed ancestral money and asked the victim to make some sort of a redemption using 10% of the ancestral money. Anyone with an aorta of sense would have recognized the ploy. It is commonplace for fraudsters to claim that you have won something, and then ask you to redeem your prize with some amount of money. IGNORANCE mixed with GREED of a high proportion.




After the proposal, the victim rushed to her bank to take a loan of 600,000 rands to redeem ancestral money that she didn't work for or that she was never in the know about. STUPIDITY of the highest order.





It is understandable when you fall for religious scams where a false prophet claims to see your bright future and asks for a token in the form of seed sowing. But to fall for a scam that requires you to pay a whole 600,000 rands is the height of stupidity.





If it were I, I would ask questions until the scammers lose patience, and they always lose patience quickly as soon as they realize that you are outsmarting them.