A gang of fraudsters operating under the guise of preaching the gospel on the streets has succeeded in duping many residents in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.
The modus operandi of the suspects, led by a fake prophet aged about 50 and a pregnant woman, is that they obtain information about their victims.
They go on to trail them, and under the guise of prophesying about them, escape with their monies and other valuables including mobile phones.
Dozens of residents in Koforidua have fallen victim to this new wave of crime in the regional capital.
The latest incident occurred Thursday, October 22, 2020 at Adweso-Achika at about 7:00 am when a businesswoman lost her GH¢2,000.00 and mobile phone to the criminals.
She narrated on a Koforidua-based Emak FM morning programme: “This morning I went for health screening while returning around Achika area I met a man who asked for direction to the Latter Day Saints Church which I showed him.
“But he started telling me God has revealed to him that I have some problems and went ahead to give me Bible quotations and asked me to fast and pray with it,” she said.
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She added: “Then he went on to tell me I have money in my bag that which I was surprised because it was true. He told me to go to the house to bring a Bible and salt so he performs some spiritual direction for me. Upon my return, he had crossed to the other side of the road with a pregnant woman standing by him.
“He was making the same revelation about the woman. He told us to buy pure water for the direction which we complied. He told the pregnant woman to hand over her bag to me so he walked around and pray for some minutes without turning back.”
She explained that the supposed man of God went on to give other instructions which she obeyed.
“When she returned, the fake Prophet told me to also give my bag to the pregnant woman so I also walk around and pray for 10 minutes but I should not turn back.
“To my surprise, when I turned back after the 10 minutes, the two had absconded with my bag which contained about GH¢2,000, my store key, and mobile phone,” she narrated.