Herbalist’s account frozen after alleged con

THE Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has frozen the bank account of a herbalist alleged to have conned a pensioner out of R434 500 last month.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tshepo Ndwalaza said the account was frozen on Monday soon after East London High Court Judge Selby Mbenenge granted the AFU a preservation order.

Ndwalaza said the account belonged to an East London herbalist known only as “Father Anthony”.

The account has a balance of R411 000, which 67-year-old victim Buyiswa Kakaza invested with Father Anthony.

Kakaza raised the money after selling her East London house.

“Ms Kakaza believed if she invested the money into Father Ant purported investment scheme, she would be a millionaire,” Ndwalaza told the Dispatch this week.

He said the woman met the herbalist through an advertisement placed in a national newspaper.

“The advert offered herbalist services and promises to solve people’s financial problems in short periods of time through an investment scheme.

“Ms Kakaza responded to the advertisement by contacting Father Anthony, who confirmed that he assists people to increase their money and that his and Ms Kakaza’s ancestors will assist them by ensuring that investments will triple.”

Ndwalaza said initially the pensioner invested R3 000 and after a month a person named Ngwenya, purporting to be the herbalist’s son, took her to a location at the Eastern Beach and showed her a basin full of R100 bank notes.

“This led her to invest a further R500 and, following the sale of her house, she invested R411 000 on November 7. Father Anthony was still not satisfied and she paid an additional R20 000,” Ndwalaza said.

The woman was allegedly told by the herbalist to wait between seven and 10 days for R5-million to reflect in her personal bank account.

When it did not happen, she contacted the police. Ndwalaza said no arrests had been made.

“Normally we go after the money and soon thereafter criminal proceedings begin.”