POLOKWANE, SOUTH AFRICA – Two foreign nationals, Serage Martin Lubenga (28) and Rhoda Mirembe (33), have each been sentenced to 15 years of direct imprisonment by the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Polokwane for orchestrating a sophisticated dating scam.
The pair were convicted of defrauding a 39-year-old Limpopo woman out of R650,000 in 2023 after posing as a romantic partner and a prophet with promises of financial miracles.
According to Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa, spokesperson for the Hawks in Limpopo, the victim was initially lured by Lubenga, who went by the name “Martin.” After gaining her trust and learning about her financial struggles, Lubenga introduced her to a “prophet” named Alice, who was later identified as Rhoda Mirembe.
The woman was invited to prayer sessions and was shown a bag full of fake cash—purportedly worth R4 million. Mirembe told the victim she needed to raise 10% of the amount to access the money. Desperate for financial relief, the woman raised and handed over R650,000 to the scammers.
In a further manipulation, the scammers asked for her personal documents—ID copy, salary slip, and bank statements—under the pretext of praying for her job promotion.
As suspicions grew, the woman reported the incident to the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit, which led to the arrest of both suspects in Potchefstroom, North West province.
The investigation revealed that the victim’s personal details were used to fraudulently secure high-end accommodations in Polokwane. Authorities also seized four luxury vehicles as proceeds of crime: a Range Rover, two Mercedes-Benz, and a BMW X6.
On May 8, 2024, Lubenga and Mirembe pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and one count of corruption. They were sentenced to:
10 years each for the first fraud count,
5 years each for the second fraud count (running concurrently), and
An additional 5 years each for corruption.
This results in an effective 15-year prison sentence for both.
The court also declared Lubenga and Mirembe unfit to possess firearms.
Major General Gopz Govender, provincial head of the Hawks in Limpopo, commended the investigation team and the National Prosecuting Authority for their “excellent work in securing justice and ensuring a firm sentence for the offenders.”
