‘Tanzanian’ Bae Disappears with Pensioner’s R2.4 million

‘Tanzanian' Bae Disappears with Pensioner's R2.4 million

A boyfriend vanished with a Tshwane woman’s R2.4 million pension payout, leaving her and her family in distress and financial dire straits. Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that the manhunt is on, and no one has been arrested yet.

For decades, the woman had worked as a school teacher and it was in January 2022 when she met the man who introduced himself to her as Mark Kagame from Tanzania. The scammed woman’s real name has been withheld to avoid further victimisation.

“Because I was not in any relationship, he asked me out and I agreed. He told me that he was from Tanzania and I told him there was no problem. Along the way, he wanted me to resign because I was always sick but I told him I could not because I had children in school,” she narrated.

Last year, as the romantic relationship blossomed, Nobuhle said Kagame said he wanted her to meet his uncle.

“I went to meet the uncle at his home. He gave us food and until today I still wonder what was in that food. After eating, the uncle said we should go into a certain room and I cannot explain how I was just agreeing to everything without asking questions. My mind was not working well. He was a quiet person. He looked so honest and sincere. He was caring and loving.”

‘Tanzanian' Bae Disappears with Pensioner's R2.4 million

In hindsight, Nobuhle recounts that the man who claimed to be an asylum-seeker from Tanzania had “rushed” to be intimate with her, soon after the relationship started.

“He rushed to be intimate with me. We were not living together but I visited him where he stayed. We took pictures together but not too much. He met my youngest children and he seemed to like them. When we, my kids and I, invited him to come to my house, he was not keen but he would come and pick me up from home. He would wait in the car,” said Nobuhle.

Nobuhle’s R2.4 million pension lump sum was deposited into her FNB account in March 2024. Before the money reflected in Nobuhle’s bank account, she said the mysterious voice of the “ancestor” had already told her in advance.

“It was like I was possessed. The uncle said when I get paid (the pension) I must not tell my kids, but he would be the first to know. The uncle would provide transport for me to come to his house. Then the talking ancestor would tell me what to do. Then somewhere in March I was summoned to the uncle and the ‘ancestor’ told me the actual amount and date of my pension payout. It happened exactly like that,” said Nobuhle.

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The woman was then instructed to open additional bank accounts at Standard Bank and Absa. The money was withdrawn over a period of weeks.The withdrawals of Nobuhle’s pension amount happened entirely in March.

She stayed at her own home, hoping that the boyfriend and his uncle would deposit her money after the “cleansing”, but nothing happened.