Pastor in US$85 000 fraud

Senior Court Reporter
A pastor with Spirit Embassy church in Botswana has appeared in court on allegations of swindling a local company, Traverze Travel of cash amounting to US$85 000. Daniel Mopurisi (52) of Francistown allegedly hoodwinked the company’s managing director into a business partnership deal.

Mopurisi appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei charged with fraud. He was remanded to December 2 on US$200 bail.

As part of his bail conditions, Mopurisi was ordered to surrender his passport and to report to the police once every Friday.

Appearing for the State Miss Sharon Mashavira alleges that sometime in August Mopurisi attended a church service at Spirit Embassy in Zimbabwe where he met the complainant.

Mopurisi allegedly approached the complainant and told her that he had some enterprising businesses in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The court heard that Mopurisi misrepresented to the complainant that he had already acquired some orders that required some funding.

It is the State’s case that Mopurisi requested to venture into a business partnership with the complainant’s company.

Mopurisi allegedly told the complainant that her company would enjoy 60 percent of the profit from the deal.

On September 14 the complainant gave Mopurisi US$85 000 as capital.

As part of the agreement, Mopurisi is said to have agreed to pay back the capital that was injected into the business plus the profit within two weeks. After two weeks, the State alleges that the complainant went to inquire about their deal and the man of cloth became evasive giving some excuses. Upon noticing that she had been duped, the complainant reported to the police on November 16 leading to the arrest of Mopurisi at the Rainbow Towers where he was staying.