Welkom - Free State police are seeking a bogus pastor and his assistant who conned a woman out of her pension money.
On December 27, 2016, a 46-year-old woman was introduced by one "King Bagyenyi Justus" to another man claiming to be a pastor, Captain Stephen Thakeng said.
"The complainant met the pastor of one of the churches in Manny's, Welkom. The complainant was told to resign from her work so that she can be helped. She was apparently shown a box containing a lot of money that amounts to R4 million. She was told it was all her money if she resigns and give her pension money," he said.
After she resigned, she was instructed by the "pastor" to withdraw all her pension money from the bank, amounting to R265 000, which she did and then gave it to him. "He disappeared with the pension money and the victim never get R4 million. The victim realised then that she had been scammed and reported the incident to the police."
A case of theft was registered for investigation. The bogus pastor and "King Bagyenyi Justus" were wanted for disappearing with the victim’s pension money. People were "sternly warned not to believe bogus pastors or prophets who tell them to resign from their work", Thakeng said.
Should anyone have information that could lead to the arrests of these two suspects, they should contact Detective Warrant Officer Neville Wessels of the Welkom detectives economics investigations unit at 076-485-8289.