Three conmen arrested
The police have arrested three illegal immigrants selling purported magic spells in Khomasdal.
It appears as if Joe Public has had enough of empty promises made by so-called traditional healers charging exorbitant fees for all kinds of maladies, some utterly ridiculous.
After countless complaints by members of the public who were taken for a ride by at least three of these healers, operating from the same premises in Khomasdal, the Namibian police acted.
Three traditional healers, calling themselves Drs Zamba, Luck and Oodo, were arrested on Monday in a clampdown by the Namibian police against these kinds of practices after close to 30 victims were duped out of thousands of dollars.
Some of the victims lost N$45 000, N$39 000 and N$5 000 respectively.
The three 'doctors' claim they can help with everything from love and business problems, to securing tenders and jobs, winning court cases, sexual and marriage problems, bewitched people, having babies, erections, drugs and alcohol, and they even give you rats that they claim will bring you money.
According to Khomas Police Regional Community Affairs leader, Chief Inspector Christina Fonsech, the three men were operating from a house in Khomasdal near Park Foods. About 27 victims had approached the police about how they had been scammed by these alleged traditional healers.
“They are claiming to be traditional healers from Uganda, but it is not true, they are not healers,” says Fonsech.
The three men entered the country illegally and apparently have been fraudulently obtaining documents from a former home affairs employee.
According to Fonsech, Dr Luck used a fake visa to enter the country while the two other men entered Namibia without passports.
She says a former employee of home affairs has been assisting the three men all along.
The three 'healers' were in Namibia for several years, doing the same business, while their qualifications range from Grade 5 to Grade 9. According to Fonsech, during the arrest, a total of N$7 000 was confiscated at the house while the 'muti', which included dry grass, oil and wood chips and shards, was left there.
“People are being brainwashed. There is a 32-year-old victim who paid N$39 000 to be able to get a better job. He only has Grade 9 and wanted to be a supervisor, but someone else with a Grade 12 qualification received the job. He went to the traditional healer to get the job and lost all this money,” says Fonsech.
In another case there was a man who wanted to name his child when his partner was pregnant. He went to the traditional healers to name his child and was told his car was bad luck and he had to give the car to the healer, says Fonsech. After that he had to pay N$42 000 more just for the healer to return to name the child.
Dr Luck, who cannot be named as none of the accused had appeared in court by the time of going to print, told Namibian Sun he was a “true traditional healer”.
“The medicine is working, but it depends on how people use it.
“In our country there are many trees with herbs and my grandfather was a healer and passed it on to me,” he said when asked how he became a traditional healer.
According to him he has not received any complaints from those he had helped with his medicine.
However, messages on Dr Luck's phone indicate that his clients were not satisfied at all.
“Evening Dr Luck you just disappointed me I never get what I wanted,” reads one message.
Other messages to the healers indicate that a victim paid N$5 000, but that nothing happened.
“I don't have any money any more Dr and why should I always be asked. I asked u will you be able to bring back my lover and u said yes, now that the days are over and nothing happened now I have to give more to see u again (sic).”
Fonsech says it is not only one culture that believes in this type of traditional healing, but people from across Namibia.
“It is whites, Namas, Hereros, Owambos, everybody.”
According to her this type of practice is a very big problem in Namibia.
“It is because people are becoming very desperate with life. It is all over Namibia, not just in the larger towns.”
She warns that people should not go to these traditional healers as it could be dangerous to their health and they could end up losing a lot of money.
“It is only oil, grass and pounded wood that they are using and it is just to make you believe that they can change things for you.”
The three suspects have not appeared in court yet but will be charged with theft by false pretences, immigration and fraud.
ELLANIE SMIT
After countless complaints by members of the public who were taken for a ride by at least three of these healers, operating from the same premises in Khomasdal, the Namibian police acted.
Three traditional healers, calling themselves Drs Zamba, Luck and Oodo, were arrested on Monday in a clampdown by the Namibian police against these kinds of practices after close to 30 victims were duped out of thousands of dollars.
Some of the victims lost N$45 000, N$39 000 and N$5 000 respectively.
The three 'doctors' claim they can help with everything from love and business problems, to securing tenders and jobs, winning court cases, sexual and marriage problems, bewitched people, having babies, erections, drugs and alcohol, and they even give you rats that they claim will bring you money.
According to Khomas Police Regional Community Affairs leader, Chief Inspector Christina Fonsech, the three men were operating from a house in Khomasdal near Park Foods. About 27 victims had approached the police about how they had been scammed by these alleged traditional healers.
“They are claiming to be traditional healers from Uganda, but it is not true, they are not healers,” says Fonsech.
The three men entered the country illegally and apparently have been fraudulently obtaining documents from a former home affairs employee.
According to Fonsech, Dr Luck used a fake visa to enter the country while the two other men entered Namibia without passports.
She says a former employee of home affairs has been assisting the three men all along.
The three 'healers' were in Namibia for several years, doing the same business, while their qualifications range from Grade 5 to Grade 9. According to Fonsech, during the arrest, a total of N$7 000 was confiscated at the house while the 'muti', which included dry grass, oil and wood chips and shards, was left there.
“People are being brainwashed. There is a 32-year-old victim who paid N$39 000 to be able to get a better job. He only has Grade 9 and wanted to be a supervisor, but someone else with a Grade 12 qualification received the job. He went to the traditional healer to get the job and lost all this money,” says Fonsech.
In another case there was a man who wanted to name his child when his partner was pregnant. He went to the traditional healers to name his child and was told his car was bad luck and he had to give the car to the healer, says Fonsech. After that he had to pay N$42 000 more just for the healer to return to name the child.
Dr Luck, who cannot be named as none of the accused had appeared in court by the time of going to print, told Namibian Sun he was a “true traditional healer”.
“The medicine is working, but it depends on how people use it.
“In our country there are many trees with herbs and my grandfather was a healer and passed it on to me,” he said when asked how he became a traditional healer.
According to him he has not received any complaints from those he had helped with his medicine.
However, messages on Dr Luck's phone indicate that his clients were not satisfied at all.
“Evening Dr Luck you just disappointed me I never get what I wanted,” reads one message.
Other messages to the healers indicate that a victim paid N$5 000, but that nothing happened.
“I don't have any money any more Dr and why should I always be asked. I asked u will you be able to bring back my lover and u said yes, now that the days are over and nothing happened now I have to give more to see u again (sic).”
Fonsech says it is not only one culture that believes in this type of traditional healing, but people from across Namibia.
“It is whites, Namas, Hereros, Owambos, everybody.”
According to her this type of practice is a very big problem in Namibia.
“It is because people are becoming very desperate with life. It is all over Namibia, not just in the larger towns.”
She warns that people should not go to these traditional healers as it could be dangerous to their health and they could end up losing a lot of money.
“It is only oil, grass and pounded wood that they are using and it is just to make you believe that they can change things for you.”
The three suspects have not appeared in court yet but will be charged with theft by false pretences, immigration and fraud.
ELLANIE SMIT
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article