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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

A former Amazulu and Highlanders striker is in hiding after allegedly duping a number of people, most of them neighbours, who assisted him with transport and other expenses for his son whom he claimed had clinched a deal with a top South African side.

In WhatsApp messages to some of his victims, which are in possession of Chronicle Sport, the former player (name supplied), believed to be in hiding in South Africa, claimed that his son (also name supplied), had clinched a deal with Cape Town FC and therefore needed to be urgently assisted with transport money as well as other expenses like Covid-19 tests.

He also used the same modus operandi on a number of his victims, mostly unsuspecting ladies.

In one message to his victim, he created a fake message purportedly coming from Cape Town FC inviting him to sign consent documents for his son.

“Good morning, Sir, we kindly request you to come over and sign the documents and approve your son’s signing-on fees of R3.5 million to be paid in two batches,” reads the WhatsApp message.

A few days later on June, 22, 2021, he informed the unsuspecting lady that the deal had been sealed and his son was now a Cape Town FC player and will be earning R65 000 in addition to the signing-on fee of R2.3 million. He used that to dupe his victims into believing that repaying wouldn’t be a challenge.

“Hey mamakhe, agreed on his salary of R65 000, allowances R2 500, signing on fees for R2.3 million to be paid in two batches, father loyalty fee R15 000 a month. House for rent to buy. We are just waiting for IP (international clearance),” he wrote.

The ex-player’s son, however, is in the books of a local Premier Soccer League team.

The lady said she lost about R12 000 as she never suspected that her neighbour and someone with such a reputation could be a common criminal.

“It turns out he did not con me alone, but many people, especially from Lobengula West,” she said.