A 32-year-old junior pastor has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after defrauding a teacher of money under the pretext of helping her secure a teaching job in Malaysia.
The convict, Stephen Yaw Gyamfi, who is a junior pastor at Blessed Gate Worship Centre at Mim in the Ahafo Region, was sentenced by the Nsuta Circuit Court after pleading guilty to the offence.
The case involved a 41-year-old teacher, Abigail Darkwah, who teaches at Onwe M/A 2 Junior High School near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region.
According to reports, Darkwah was introduced to Gyamfi in January 2025 by a colleague who claimed that the pastor had connections that could help her obtain a teaching position in Malaysia.
Believing the offer to be genuine, the teacher reportedly engaged Gyamfi about the opportunity.
The pastor allegedly demanded US$4,300 from her, which was equivalent to approximately GH¢73,100 at the time.
He reportedly told the teacher that the money was required to process the necessary visa arrangements and purchase an airline ticket for her journey to Malaysia.
After receiving the money, however, Gyamfi allegedly became unreachable and failed to provide the promised services.
The teacher subsequently realised that she had been deceived and reported the matter, leading to the pastor’s arrest and prosecution.
When the case came before the Nsuta Circuit Court, Gyamfi pleaded guilty to the charge. The court subsequently convicted him and sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The 10-year prison sentence brings an end to the court proceedings in the case after the accused admitted to defrauding the teacher.
