Nigerian’s trial date set for dating scam fraud

THE trial of a man accused of fraud using an online dating scam will start in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Bellville in May.

Prosecutor Juan Agulhas and defence attorney Howard Andrew agreed on May 13 for the trial when Muyiwa Obafeni, 35, appeared before magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg yesterday.

Obafeni, a Nigerian, has not been asked to plead to the nine charges of fraud and one of conspiracy to commit fraud.

He was arrested in April 2013. Obafeni allegedly promised his victim, Kuo-Sen Liu Hendrika, R16 million for financially assisting a man living in New Zealand, who wanted to transfer trust money to his daughter, Joy Dlodlo, in Durban. Obafeni allegedly created online profiles of wealthy people and groomed vulnerable victims before asking for money for false emergencies.

According to the charge sheet, Hendrika started chatting online to a woman claiming to be Joy Dlodlo on the website www.zoosk.com. Dlodlo falsely informed him that her father Jacob was in New Zealand and needed to transfer money to her, but that she needed help to clear the money. Dlodlo claimed to be caring for her mother in Durban.

A bogus agent named Dennis (Obafeni) contacted Hendrika on behalf of Dlodlo. A bogus Home Affairs official, named Thuletu Mtseke, falsely informed Hendrika that R21 740 was needed to ensure Dennis’s safe travel to Dlodlo with the trust money.

Hendrika complied and a bogus customs official undertook to help provide an antimoney laundering certificate needed to “release” the money. The official was paid R35 690.

Hendrika was duped into paying an additional four amounts. Obafeni is out on R10 000 bail. – Sapa