Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Source: GNA

Fake prophet dupes Cape Coast university student

Cape Coast, Sept. 13, GNA - Noble Oyagborha, a 31-year old Nigerian businessman resident in Accra, was on Monday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast for swindling a student of the University of Cape Coast.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on count one and another 12 months on count two, to run concurrently.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Francis Ockom told the court presided over by Mrs Florence Kai Otu that on September 5, the convict and an accomplice now at large met the victim who was returning from lectures on campus.

He said Oyagborha introduced himself to the victim; a level 100 student, as a prophet and told to her that some evil forces were following her, hence the need for prayers to ward them off.

Chief Inspector Ockom said the convict asked her to bring her laptop for him to pray over it to avoid her going blind, together with an amount of GH¢150.00 and her ATM card.

Oyagborha then asked his victim to recite the Lord's Prayer three times in her room while he also prayed on the items outside, but when she returned a few minutes later, the so -called prophet had bolted with the items and the money.

Chief Inspector Ockom said following a report made to the police, the convict was arrested through the vigilance of the Police Patrol Team in Accra with all the items intact.

The victim identified the items at the Mile Seven Police station in Accra. The prosecutor said the convict was sent to Cape Coast where he admitted his offence. When the victim checked her account, the convict had withdrawn GH¢10.00 from it.

Meanwhile the laptop and the GH¢160.00 have been returned to the victim.