What began as a hopeful romance for a 39-year-old Limpopo woman ended in heartbreak, betrayal, and financial ruin. Two foreign nationals—28-year-old Serage Martin Lubenga and 33-year-old Rhoda Mirembe—have each been sentenced to 20 years in prison after orchestrating a cruel dating scam that left their victim emotionally devastated and R650,000 poorer.
The woman, whose identity is protected, met Lubenga in 2023. He introduced himself simply as “Martin.” Their relationship blossomed quickly, with Martin gaining her trust. As she confided her financial struggles, Martin offered help—by connecting her to a prophet named “Alice,” later identified as Rhoda Mirembe.
Desperate for a breakthrough, the woman attended prayer sessions led by Mirembe, who once arrived in a flashy BMW and produced a suitcase full of fake money, claiming it contained R4 million. To access the supposed fortune, Mirembe told her she needed to pay 10% upfront. Believing in the promise of a better future, the woman raised and handed over R650,000—money she had borrowed from the bank.
The scammers didn’t stop there. They also collected her personal documents, claiming they would pray over them for a job promotion. Only when the promised miracle never came did she realise the horrible truth: she had been used and defrauded. She reported the case to the Hawks, who arrested the pair in Potchefstroom.
Investigators later uncovered that the duo had used the stolen funds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including renting luxury properties and acquiring high-end vehicles like a BMW X6, Range Rover, and two Mercedes-Benz cars—now seized as proceeds of crime.
Last week, the court sentenced Lubenga and Mirembe to a combined 15 years of direct imprisonment for two counts of fraud and one of corruption. They were also declared unfit to possess firearms.
Limpopo Hawks’ head, Major General Gopz Govender, praised the team’s tireless efforts in bringing justice to the victim. Still, the case serves as a stark reminder of how love and trust can be dangerously manipulated by those with criminal intent.