Big scam for small fortune
2007-02-08 18:11
Nkosana ka Makaula and Oris Mnisi
Mpumalanga - A family was robbed outside a bank in an elaborate scam, just after cashing in their dead mother's funeral policy.
Constance Khosa, 38, and her sister-in-law, Eve Tjie, 35, had gone to the offices of Rentmeester Assurance in Bushbuckridge to claim the policy.
"We were given a cheque for R3 250 which we then cashed at the local First National B bank. On our way out, we saw a bundle of R100 notes on the pavement.
"A woman ahead of us picked it up and said that because we'd also seen it, we were entitled to a share," said Khosa.
The woman suggested they go to a quiet area and divide the money. So, they went into the nearby veld.
The woman said she needed to relieve herself. When she returned, two men also appeared.
The sisters had seen one of the men with an employee at the insurance company earlier in the day.
The men claimed to be police and produced appointment cards.
They accused the women of having robbed a white man and threatened to arrest them, unless they returned the money.
The 'policemen' took everything
The men took the envelope containing the money as well as the insurance money, two cellphones and R80 of Tjie's money.
The woman who had picked up the bundle was not searched.
"When we told the men that we recognised one of them, he threatened to shoot us. We had to walk 38km back home," said Khosa.
She said they didn't report the case to the police because they were too scared and didn't know if the two men were real policemen or not.
When confronted about the man, the employee at the insurance company angrily denied knowing him and slammed down the phone.