NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 10 – Police in North West province are on the hunt for a man who allegedly swindled a South African Police Service (SAPS) officer of nearly R3 million in a deceitful romantic scam.
The suspect, identified as Kalvin Sofika, a Ugandan national, befriended a 53-year-old police captain last year after meeting her at a shopping complex in Rustenburg. He introduced himself as a medical doctor and started a romantic relationship with her.
As their relationship progressed, Sofika convinced the woman to take out loans on his behalf and even persuaded her to resign from her position as a police captain. He promised that she would no longer need to work, claiming that she was about to experience a stroke of good fortune.
To further manipulate her, Sofika took the woman to a traditional healer, who supposedly confirmed that she needed to leave her job to begin making money. Trusting him completely, the woman followed his advice and resigned from her position in November of the previous year.
In total, the woman lost R2.9 million, which included pension funds and loans taken on Sofika’s behalf. After the incident, the suspect allegedly fled, and the police have not yet made any arrests.
Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, a spokesperson for the North West police, confirmed the ongoing investigation and noted that it appeared Sofika had relocated after the scam.
This case has raised concerns about the growing number of romantic scams, where con artists manipulate vulnerable individuals to steal large sums of money under the guise of love and trust.
