Police Warn Public Against False Prophets
Pini Bothoko | Monday December 10, 2018 10:47
It is around this time that people are more than ever eager to make money to prepare for a Merry Christmas and welcome the New Year pockets filled.
Members of the public are, however, being warned and encouraged to be ever more cautious not to fall victim to thieves, who are eager to make money. This follows an incident in which a 75-year-old man of Hukuntsi was recently scammed of money amounting to P10,000 through fraud by false prophecy.
Police warned that this is the time that criminals embezzle money from unsuspecting victims promising them heaven and earth. In the past the so-called prophets scammed people out of their monies under the guise that they were blessings so they (prophets) would double their money.
Tshane Police Station commander Vusimusi Jorowe, who is investigating the case, said the three men who are still at large recently lured the septuagenarian into believing that he was troubled and offered him healing prayers.
He said after allegedly praying for him the trio demanded a payment of P10,000 in which the victim gave to them as cash.
“They went on to trick him to hand over his ATM cards to them claiming that they will pray for them and he would in turn receive miracle money. They allegedly gave him a metal container that he was supposed to open after a few days promising him that it will be filed with miracle money something that has never happened. After discovering that he was scammed the old man reported the matter to us,” Jorowe said.
Jorowe added that the thieves pretend to be prophets and lure innocent people into losing their hard earned cash. He pleaded with members of the public not to believe strangers who stop them on the street claiming to have “established something from them through prophecy”.
“The festive season has started. Everyone is eager to make money in order to celebrate the holidays with their friends and families. Be on the look out and avoid falling victim to false prophets and other criminals,” Jorowe said.
He said it worries them as the police that despite their endless efforts to sensitise the public about the techniques thieves employ when luring people into losing their hard earned money most continue to fall for the tricks.
He has observed that majority of Batswana have the habit of believing just about anything a stranger says to them.
Jorowe said the police through their television programme aired on Botswana Television, Itshireletse have been educating people about crime incidents, but concerns that most people still fall victim, loss a lot of money and other valuables to criminals are grave.
He said more often the criminals apply the same techniques that they would have sensitised the public on, something that clearly demonstrate that people take police efforts lightly.
“If someone approaches you claiming to be a prophet demand evidence. Unemployment has pushed a lot of people to get involved in criminal activities. If someone claims to be a traditional doctor demand to see that person’s certificate to be assured that you are not being scammed,” Jorowe advised.