PILGRIMS LOSE OVER P500,000 TO TRICKY TRAVEL AGENT
An unscrupulous Gaborone businessman has swindled scores of unsuspecting followers of Temitope Joshua, a Nigerian prophet popularly known as TB Joshua of over half a million Pula.
Prophet TB Joshua’s purported agent, Ishmael Segoea left over 50 pilgrims hoping to visit the Nigeria based Synagogue Church of All Nations(SCOAN) broke, confused and stranded after he collected their hard earned cash for a trip that never materialised.
Despite several warnings from T.B Joshua through his Emmanuel TV channel for people to avoid being duped by fraudsters posing as his agents, Segoea managed to collect a cool P14, 000 from each of the 50 pilgrims with the promise of handling their travel arrangements to Nigeria.
The money was meant for the purchase of air tickets and accommodation, he said.
Frustrated people who have now lost hope in Segoea’s ability to assist them in joining hundreds of worshippers who flock to SCOAN in search of miracles every Sunday are now demanding their money back.
A Voice team visit to Segoea’s office at Molapo Crossing on Wednesday was met by a group of angry people wanting their cash back
“I long paid this man and he has been throwing me from pillar to post whenever I ask him to tell me when we are leaving for Nigeria.
I want my money back now,” said Boitumelo Morwa.
Another irate person, Leagamang Reuben claimed that he was one of the people who paid for the trip last year December but had now lost hope.
“Whenever I ask Ishmael about the trip he tells me that my request to visit has been rejected by TB:Joshua.
I am fed up, I just want my money back.” he seethed.
Segoea however calmed the agitated crowd down by blaming his transport suppliers AT&T Travel agent for the delay.
“ AT&T management is refusing to release your tickets.
I am trying all I can to talk to them and as soon as we are done I will inform you of the date of our departure” he said.
Meanwhile The Voice investigations established that Segoea lost the people’s money through a previous debt he owed to AT&T.
AT&T Director, Abel Monnakgotla said: “He owed my company over half a million pula.
He came here last year and purchased travel tickets claiming that he was going to come back same day to pay but he never did.
We were looking for him until he resurfaced last week wanting to purchase tickets for about 50 people.
As soon as he paid we reminded him that he still owed us so we treated the money as payment. It was P220 000 which means he still owes us close to P300 000.”
The Director of Intelligence and Security,(DIS) Isaac Kgosi said he was investigating the matter.
“We are still looking into the case and we will reveal details if need be when our investigations are completed,” Kgosi said.