Money multiplier gets 15 years in jail for fraud

Bashir Lauw Kasenjera, a Malawian national has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for fraud.

He defrauded a Motherwell teacher of R669,000 by pretending to multiply his money in a get rich quick scam.

He was sentenced on Friday by Port Elizabeth Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

Kasenjera was found guilty of fraud and corruption on August 5.

He also contravened the Immigration Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

According to Eastern Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Anelisa Ngcakani, said Kasenjera who introduced himself to Mlungisi Booi as Professor Anadkat encouraged him to resign from his teaching post and give him all his pension so his ancestors would multiply it.

“During June 2017, the 44-year-old teacher saw an advertisement in the newspaper where a ‘Professor Anadkat’ promised ‘to work miracles with money’.”

“The victim  contacted the number placed in the advertisement, which resulted in Kasenjera visiting him at his house in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth,” said Ngcakani.

“In October 2017, Booi resigned from his post as a teacher and received a pension lump sum of just over R1.042m in March 2018. Two weeks after receiving the payout, Kasenjera swindled R669,000 from the victim.

“Kasenjera convinced Booi to make a number of bank withdrawals and to hand the money to him so  he could cleanse the money for Booi’s ancestors to multiply it.”

She said Kasejera subjected Booi to series of spiritual rituals which made him believe in Kasejera’s spiritual powers.

“Needless to say, Booi never received his money back,” Ngcakani said.

She added that after Kasenjera got arrested in April 2018, he tried to bribe police with R100,000 for his release in Port Elizabeth.