Two bogus traditional healers appeared before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday for fraud after they scammed someone R1 million pension payout last year.
Adrian Aval Kiweewa(31) and Joanita Amumpiire(36) were arrested when they appeared in court on Tuesday,12 August 2025,by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation for the crime they committed last year on June.
The police revealed that scammers met with the victim last year after they lured her from Facebook and promised to make her misfortunes vanish if she come to them for help,due to desperation for help she followed all the instructions were given to her by bogus traditional healers.
"A case was registered in June 2024 after the complainant was tricked by the two suspects claiming to be traditional healers.The complainant alleges that she met an African lady named 'Marnia' on a social media platform(Facebook) after receiving a direct message from the said lady 'Marnia' introduced herself to the complainant and informed her that she had a vision that the complainant was experiencing relationship,workplace and financial struggles.'Marnia' then invited the complainant to a face to face consultation in Primrose,Germiston.
"When the complainant arrived at the consultation,he was introduced to a male referred to as 'Chief' by Marnia.The victim was informed that they would be required to buy a goat and water from Saudi Arabia for a cleansing.After the victim expressed they'd be unable to travel to Saudi Arabia to obtain water the pair informed the victim they can be able to get the water for the victim at a cost of R5000.The complainant paid the required money.A few days later the suspects called the victim to come for another consultation were a cleansing was conducted.
After the cleansing,the pair informed the victim that they'd be summoning his ancestors that's when its alleged that an unknown voice was heard informing the victim to resign from her place of employment and bring all her pension funds to the pair for a blessing and to double the pay-out to the suspects.A few days later the complainant's attempt to get hold of Marnia and Chief were futile,"said Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela.
W/O Mavimbela added that the matter was reported to the police which led to the arrest of the pair by the Boksburg SAPS in June 2024.The Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team were investigating a separate case,when they successfully linked the pair to other related cases.On Tuesday,12 August 2025,the pair were then arrested by the Hawks at Boksburg Magistrate Court while appearing on another case.The pair made their first appearance before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday,13 August 2025 where it was postponed to 10 September 2025.On the next appearance the pair is expected to join (04) other suspects who were arrested in November 2024 on similar charges.