How preacher conned businesswoman of Sh1.3m in exchange for prayers

A Tanzanian Muslim preacher is facing charges of fraudulently obtaining Sh1,350, 950 from a Nairobi businesswoman who wanted her neighbour bewitched while falsely pretending he could pray for her. Mr Said Mwaipopo has been accused of obtaining the money from the 21-year-old businesswoman on diverse dates between November 2022 and January 2023. He is accused of defrauding the woman while pretending he was in a position to offer prayers to her knowing the same to be untrue. The businesswoman contacted the accused person through WhatsApp after watching his preaching on YouTube. Also read: Maxine Wahome denies murdering her boyfriend Assad Khan The complainant shared her family challenges with the preacher and he promised to offer prayers and healing at a fee. Among her prayer items was her business which she said was not doing well and a troublesome neighbour she wanted bewitched. The preacher issued the businesswoman with a paybill and M-Pesa numbers where she started depositing money. She reportedly acknowledged that the prayers were helping. Also read: Suspected killer on the run after woman is found dead inside Kayole house The preacher visited Kenya in the first week of January and met the businesswoman who gave him Sh700,000 in cash so that he could carry out prayers. But Mr Mwaipopo returned to Tanzania after receiving the cash without praying for the complainant and her family as he had promised. The businesswoman realized she had been conned and made a report at California Police Station in Kamukunji, Nairobi. Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Shaurimoyo offices took over the investigations and reached out to the preacher while pretending to be in need of prayers. They lured the preacher to Nairobi and arresting him at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon arrival. Mr Mwaipopo denied the charges before Principal Magistrate Eric Mutunga of the Makadara Law Courts. He was released on a bond of Sh20,000 with a Kenyan surety of a like sum. The case will be mentioned on April 13, 2023 before hearing starts on July 31, 2023. Also read: My husband’s disappearance has made life unbearable, wife of Mbijiwe’s friend says