[Nutty_ZA]

Johannesburg - Three confidence tricksters, who pretended to be assassins and made their supposed targets pay to spare their lives, have been arrested, Durban police said on Thursday.
Superintendent Muzi Mngomezulu said a 27-year-old man was arrested with two women believed to be his accomplices.
"It is alleged that the 27-year-old man targeted taxi owners, school principals and priests, milking them of money. It has emerged that he told his victims he was a hit man hired to kill them."
The "hit man" persuaded his victims to fork out money into his accomplices' accounts.
"At this stage investigations reveal that victims were made to pay out between R5000 and R20 000 to spare their lives. This scam has been taking place since February this year.
"At present police are questioning a taxi owner who has been a victim of this scam," said Mngomezulu. The three have been charged with extortion and will appear in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court.