Joseph Harerimana, a Kigali preacher accused of defrauding people by taking money from them in exchange for miracles, presented his defence to court on Monday, October 23, arguing that the money he solicited was meant for covering his extensive prayer logistics, but was not as payment for miracles.
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Commonly known as Apostle Yongwe via social media, he was arrested on October 1 on charges related to the abuse of trust and fraudulent acquisition of property belonging to others.
During his arraignment at the primary court of Gasabo, the prosecutor alleged that he employed various techniques to convince people to provide him with money for prayers to address their problems.
The prosecutor noted that Yongwe told women experiencing marital conflicts that their husbands had been bewitched and encouraged them to make an offering so that he would pray and nullify the alleged witchcraft.
Similarly, he promised older unmarried women that, with their offering, he would pray for them to find spouses. The same approach was used for people with health issues, asking them to make an offering for his prayers.
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The prosecutor claimed that Yongwe received significant sums of money through mobile money, MoneyGram, and Western Union, which he did not deny.
She cited an instance where, via YouTube, the preacher claimed that some individuals had given him land and various items and he had prayed for them.
A number of testimonies from individuals in Rwanda and countries including Canada and France, were presented to court, accusing Yongwe of soliciting money from them.
For instance, Deborah Niyonzima, a Canada-based Rwandan allegedly approached Yongwe seeking prayers for her ailing child. The preacher informed her that the child was bewitched, with the source of the spell located in Burundi.
He requested money to perform prayers and travel to Burundi to remove the alleged witchcraft, but he never travelled to the country.
In his defence, Yongwe first emphasised that he is not a fraudster since he is a qualified pastor ordained in 2013.
He explained that the money he received was not payment for miracles but was intended to support him during his prayer services, which sometimes required him to leave his residence and travel to secluded areas.
In such cases, he would ask the individuals who needed his prayers to contribute towards his expenses, including fuel, guest house fees, and funds for his family's well-being while he was away.
The prosecution requested the court to detain him for 30 days while investigations continued, citing concerns that his release might impede the process or result in his fleeing.
In contrast, Yongwe argued that he should stand trial while out of custody, as he could not tamper with evidence since his phone, which is a key source of evidence, is already in the hands of the Rwandan Investigation Bureau.
The court will decide on the way forward on October 26.