A woman faces more than 50 charges after she allegedly convinced people to part with jewellery and cash, promising to bless them.
|||Durban - A Chatsworth woman facing more than 50 counts of fraud and theft allegedly convinced her victims to part with jewellery and cash, valued at hundreds of thousands of rand, by promising them she was going to “bless” their valuables for good luck.
Nancy Shanelle Naidoo, 33, who is expected to appear in the Durban Regional Court on Tuesday, faces 52 counts involving fraud, theft and extortion.
From the charge sheet it appears Naidoo’s alleged crimes began in May 2007 when she allegedly defrauded Dhanasagree Govender of R7 550 by claiming she was employed by the Southern Sun Elangeni hotel in Durban and was authorised to sell catering equipment she said were “rejects”.
It is alleged since then Naidoo has been responsible for a spate of robberies in Chatsworth. Elderly people were apparently drugged and threatened in order to get them to part with jewellery and cash.
It’s also alleged that in August 2008, Naidoo made off with R4 000 after promising a woman she would retrieve her mangalsutra, a sacred necklace which is a symbol of marriage in the Hindu tradition, from a pawn shop. Naidoo never returned.
In September 2010, it is claimed that Inderbassie Boodhoo handed Naidoo gold bangles and earrings to be blessed.
In a separate incident Boodhoo was allegedly drugged and threatened before Naidoo took a R4 000 gold chain and R200.
It is also alleged that Naidoo, going by the name of Veneshree, posed as a physiotherapist working at Addington Hospital, so gaining access to her victims’ homes, where she drugged them.
In December 2010 it is claimed that Naidoo took items to the value of R16 500 from Vishanathie Dudrag, 69, under the pretence of performing certain rituals with the items which would bring Dudrag good luck.
Naidoo, who is in custody, appeared briefly in court on Friday and her case was adjourned to tomorrow for a legal aid attorney to be appointed.
rizwana.umar@inl.co.za
Daily News