🇿🇦South AfricaSouthern Africa
Four arrested in Gauteng for romance scam involving bogus ancestral rituals
via The Citizen2 min read
Four men, Ismair Nsubugu, George Lubuluma, Geofrey Bukenya, and Nicolas Bolodangaine, aged between 26 and 34, were arrested in Gauteng on May 29, 2026, by the Gauteng Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit. They are accused of operating a romance scam that involved fake ancestral rituals. The suspects allegedly convinced a South African woman that her money could be multiplied through rituals performed by a purported Ugandan priest. The complainant became suspicious and alerted the police, leading to an operation where one suspect was initially arrested while accompanying her to secure loans. This suspect then led police to a property in Winchester Hills, where the other three suspects were apprehended. During the operation, police discovered a makeshift altar and an underground cave, which were allegedly used to deceive victims into believing ancestors were communicating with them. The suspects appeared before the Booysens Magistrates’ Court on June 1, 2026, and remain in custody. Their case was postponed to June 8, 2026, for further investigation. Police are also investigating potential links to other similar scam cases and urge anyone with information or who may have been a victim to contact Colonel Naidoo or the Crime Stop Line.
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