By A Correspondent- A money-making ritual went wrong for a Zimre Park man after he lost US$14 000 to a bogus Ugandan sangoma.
Jaison Mandivengerei (49) lost a lump sum of money after he engaged Sikayuba Abdu (44) to multiply his money.
Abdu was arrested and charged with fraud when he appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Patience Madondo on Friday.
He was remanded to August 26, 2021.
Allegations are that on July 1, 2021, Mandivengerei contacted Abdu for spiritual assistance after he came across a pamphlet inscribed “SEKURU JAMIL ZEN International Registered Healer or Herbalist”.
Mandivengerei agreed to meet Abdu at his office near Landmark Bar in Masvingo CBD.
During consultation, Abdu informed Mandivengerei that his money was being stolen by evil spirits and assured him that he could help him recover the millions he had lost.
The court heard that on July 4, Abdu contacted Mandivengerei and told him that he wanted to do a spiritual healing process which needed US$11 000.
Believing the sangoma was going to help him recover his money, Mandivengerei went with US$11k to Abdu. Abdu took the money and allegedly put it in a red cash box and handed it over to Mandivengerei after instructing him not to open the box.
On the same day, at around 10 pm, Abdu called Mandivengerei and asked him to return the cash box since he had completed the first stage of the ritual.
As instructed, on July 5, Mandivengerei went to Abdul’s office and handed back the red cash box.
While there, Abdul told Mandivengerei that in order for him to complete the cleansing process he had to face the western direction while he faced eastern direction.
While Mandivengerei was facing west, Abdul allegedly swapped red boxes and gave Mandivengerei a different box which he instructed him not to open for seven days.
It is further alleged that on July 6, Abdul told Mandiverengerei to deposit R50 000 into his South African CAPITEC Bank account for ancestors to do the final cleansing at the Limpopo River.
After he got the money, the accused asked the complainant to meet him at his Landmark office the following day but he was nowhere to be found.
Efforts to contact him on his mobile phone were all fruitless as Abdul allegedly switched off his mobile and blocked Mandivengerei on WhatsApp.
Seeing that Abdul was nowhere to be seen, Mandivengerei allegedly forced open the red box, and to his shock, he only discovered RTGS$2 000 inside.
The Mirror reports that Mandiverengei filed a police report leading to Abdul’s arrest last Wednesday in Chinhoyi town where he had opened a new office.
Nothing was recovered as Abdu allegedly bought a BMW and opened an office in Chinhoyi using the proceeds.