Jette Jacobs’ son visits the scene of his mother’s alleged murder by a love scammer in South Africa | #daitngscams | #lovescams

THE son of a lonely WA woman who police believe was murdered in a Nigerian love scam has made a heartbreaking visit to the South African apartment block where his mother died.

But Perth man Ole Jacobs, 50, fears his mother’s killer will never face justice as the investigation into her murder stalls.

Jette Jacobs flew to South Africa believing she was starting a new relationship with 28-year-old Jesse Omokoh, but just days after meeting him she was found dead on February 9 in her rented apartment, possibly from an administered dose of medication tablets.

Her money, credit cards, jewellery and laptop were missing and she had just $5 in her bank account – all that was left from $90,000 of life savings. The lonely, twice-widowed, 67-year-old grandmother from the WA town of Wagin went to Johannesburg to meet the romantic suitor she’d met online, who sweet-talked her, allegedly conned her into sending money, and told her that he wanted to get married, police allege.

Nigerian police have since arrested Mr Omokoh, who allegedly had 32 online identities, on fraud charges and WA Police consider him a suspect in her murder.

The university graduate is accused of grooming Mrs Jacobs, who filled her days with tenpin bowling and her love of pet chickens but lived much of her life online.

Her six children and 14 grandchildren are still mourning her loss.

Mr Jacobs, who travelled to South Africa with a 60 Minutes film crew for an episode tonight on Channel 9, last night said visiting the scene of his mother’s death was harrowing.

“It was tough. It did have a big effect, seeing where mum died. I can’t believe she went there. Hopefully it will give me some closure,” he said.

He is worried his mother’s killer would never be convicted because there is a four-year backlog for forensic data in South Africa and warned others not to go overseas to meet online suitors because it could be “a one-way ticket”.

“Don’t go. Don’t send them money. Be cautious. They are running a business or a scam,” he said.

60 Minutes journalist Allison Langdon said she found evidence of Nigerian love scammers operating lucrative, syndicates targeting women all over the world.

She came face to face with Mr Omokoh in a police interview room and described him as “a meek, mild, sad character” who insisted he “had gone to South Africa to meet his girlfriend”.

Australian police estimate $2 million leaves Australia every week bound for scammers’ bank accounts.

WA major fraud squad detective Dom Blackshaw warned that “to travel to Africa to visit someone you have met on the internet is extremely dangerous and could, as in the case of Ms Jacobs, cost your life”.

WA police – through an online fraud crackdown called Operation Sunbird – sent a letter to Mrs Jacobs warning her she was the victim of a fraud but it arrived just days after she left for South Africa.

* 60 Minutes, Channel 9, 8pm tonight

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