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Struggle theory on gran death

South African police are investigating the possibility Wagin great-grandmother Jette Jacobs was involved in a struggle before her suspicious death amid revelations the suspected Nigerian scammer she was planning to marry had been sent money by at least 20 people in six countries in recent years.

Ms Jacobs' broken medical alert bracelet was found in the Johannesburg guest house room near where her body was discovered on February 9.

Major fraud squad Det-Sen. Const. Robert Martin said South African police believed the bracelet could have been damaged in a struggle.

A specialist crime team has taken over the inquiry into the 67-year-old widow's death amid suspicions she was murdered. One theory is that she was force-fed pills, after empty packets were found near her body.

Ms Jacobs' money and jewellery were missing when she was found dead two days after meeting 28-year-old Jesse Orowo Omokoh, the Nigerian man she had travelled to South Africa to marry after they met on an online dating site.

Mr Omokoh, who was the last person to see Ms Jacobs alive and told police he discovered her body, has denied any part in her death and claimed he had not stolen her money.

Police say Ms Jacobs had sent Mr Omokoh about $120,000 in the three years they had been in contact.

Det-Sen. Const Martin said WA police were now working with Nigerian and South African authorities to identify other people who had sent Mr Omokoh money and how much he had been given.

"We've ascertained at least 20 people have sent money to him over the past few years in a similar fashion to Jette Jacobs," he said.

But financial institutions have warned police that could be the tip of the iceberg after reportedly identifying links between Mr Omokoh and other people who have been sent money.

Australian authorities are still waiting on reports from South African police about how Ms Jacobs died.

Detectives from Operation Sunbird - a joint operation with Consumer Protection to investigate online scams - sent Ms Jacobs a letter warning she might have been a victim of fraud but it arrived after she left Australia.

Her children had tried to talk her out of her plans to settle in Nigeria with Mr Omokoh but they had been unable to convince her that the 28-year-old's promises were not real.

Ms Jacobs had travelled to South Africa to meet Mr Omokoh in 2010 before he proposed late last year.

She had returned to South Africa in November to marry him but he did not arrive until two days before her death, blaming visa troubles.

Other West Australians have since cancelled trips to meet suspected scammers.