Adrian Aval Kiweewa (31) and Joanita Amumpiire (36) appeared before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday, 13 August 2025, facing fraud charges following their arrest the previous day.
The case stems from a June 2024 complaint in which the victim was allegedly defrauded by the duo, who posed as traditional healers. According to the complainant, she was contacted on Facebook by an African woman identifying herself as “Marnia,” who claimed to have had a vision about the victim’s struggles in relationships, work, and finances. Marnia then arranged an in-person consultation in Primrose, Germiston.
During the meeting, the complainant was introduced to a man referred to as “Chief.” The pair convinced the victim to purchase a goat and water from Saudi Arabia for a cleansing ritual. When the complainant expressed inability to travel, they offered to procure the water for R5,000, which the victim paid. Days later, the suspects conducted a cleansing ceremony before allegedly summoning the victim’s ancestors.
A mysterious voice then instructed the victim to resign from her job and bring her pension funds—amounting to R1 million—to the suspects for a “blessing” that would supposedly double the payout. After complying, the victim was unable to contact the suspects again.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to the pair’s arrest by Boksburg SAPS in June 2024. Further investigations by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit linked them to additional cases.
Kiweewa and Amumpiire were rearrested by the Hawks on Tuesday, 12 August 2025, while appearing at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on a separate matter. Their case was postponed to 10 September 2025, when they are expected to join four other suspects arrested in November 2024 on similar charges.
