A Sudanese man has been arrested in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state for allegedly defrauding a woman of $5,000 by claiming he could turn paper into hard currency, police said.
Yacob Muhammad Musa was arrested while attempting to flee to Sudan, according to police.
Maj. Gen. Gabriel Guet, the state police commissioner, said Musa allegedly claimed to use charms to increase money.
“He claimed he uses charms to increase dollars. He took $5,000, and the security apparatus managed to arrest him. He will be taken to court,” Guet said.
Musa denied the allegations, saying he practises traditional healing and that his dispute with the woman, identified as Ayak, concerned payment for his services.
“I am only involved in traditional healing. I travelled with this woman’s son to Wau to buy traditional medicine, and we returned. I do not use charms to increase money. I treat diabetes and other diseases traditionally,” Musa said.
Musa maintained that Ayak had not paid the remaining amount he claimed she owed him.
Police identified Musa as a Sudanese national from the Darfur region and a member of the Palata tribe. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.