2017-09-12Staff Report 2 Selma Ikela Windhoek-A woman who saw her photograph among a collage of photos found at the residence of Ugandan nationals arrested last week for fraud and theft under false pretences was shocked yesterday to learn that her boyfriend took her photo there. The woman is among several people who contacted New Era and the Namibian police to find out how their photographs ended up with the self-proclaimed “traditional healers”. The terrified woman approached the police last week after identifying herself among photos published in newspapers to seek answers as to who took her photo to the fake healers and why. The woman yesterday visited the police again in the company of an older sister and a man who she later identified as her boyfriend. She cried profusely upon finding out that the man who accompanied her to the police was the one who took her photo to the healers. The police last week arrested three Ugandan nationals at their rented home if Khomasdal on charges of being illegal in Namibia and working without work permits. The trio also faces charges of fraud and theft under false pretence, as some clients claim they had paid money, but were not treated at all, as the self-proclaimed “healers” stopped answering their calls after receiving the money. Nampol Chief Inspector Christina van Dunem Fonsech asked the woman to give her own number and people she suspect might have taken her photo to the healers. As Fonsech punched in the numbers of the boyfriend, it immediately appeared on the screen, as it had been saved on a mobile phone belonging to one of the arrested fraud suspects. The boyfriend, 47, who was constantly wiping sweat from his brow, told the police he approached a certain Dr Bembe and gave his girlfriend’s photo in the hope their love can be restored after breaking up in December. The man claimed he loved the woman very much and wanted her back. The boyfriend said although he paid N$1,500 for help to get back his girlfriend, he never got any “medication”, as the doctor was avoiding him and not answering his calls. Later his mobile number was unreachable. “I didn’t get any medication. I just went back to her and convinced her by talking to her and we got back together,” he said. He asked for forgiveness, but the woman was determined to end the relationship. He conceded though to having paid another N$1,500 so that the healer could determine whether a second woman he was in a relationship loved him sincerely. Fonsech told New Era that around 25 people called claiming the same trio also defrauded them. In addition, she said messages were still coming in to the mobile phones after the healers were arrested. Fonsech warned people to stop spending their money on “witchdoctors”. She said people were contacting the police to find out who took their photos to the healers and noted that the issue was causing conflict amongst the affected people. 2017-09-12Staff Report 2
