By Court Reporter
Bulawayo-A traditional healer from Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, Misheck Ncube (42) appeared before the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court for possession of articles of criminal use.
On the 27th of May 2024, Police detectives received information suggesting that the accused person was in possession of counterfeit money at his residence. Acting on this information, detectives apprehended the accused person at Tredgold, Bulawayo, on the same day.
The accused person subsequently led detectives to his place of residence where a search yielded a plastic bag concealed beneath a pillow in the bedroom. The plastic contained counterfeit notes denominated in United States Dollars and South African Rand, totaling USD14 870 and ZAR400 respectively. In court, the accused person indicated that he used the counterfeit money in his traditional practice when he deceived victims into believing that they could attain wealth through money rituals, requiring an initial payment of USD5 000 in some instances.
His promise was merely a ruse designed to exploit the victims. When his victims came to complain that the rituals had not worked, he would claim that the victims had failed to perform the enchantment correctly, thereby rendering the ritual ineffective. The accused person would then refuse to refund his victims.
The accused person was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment of which 2 months were suspended. A further 4 months were suspended on condition of 140 hours of community service. The counterfeit money was forfeited to the State.