False initiation promise: a scammer tried for taking advantage of a sick man’s distress
A young man appeared on June 5, 2025, before the Court for the Repression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism (CRIET), accused of defrauding nearly 800,000 CFA francs from an elderly businessman weakened by illness.
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According to the reported details, the victim, suffering from serious health issues and facing significant financial difficulties, was desperately seeking a way to revive his business. It was during this vulnerable period that the accused allegedly intervened, presenting himself as a high initiate of a Masonic lodge. He then promised the man quick entry into the fraternity in exchange for a sum of money supposedly meant for initiation fees.
Seduced by the prospects of success and influence he was being promised, the elderly man allegedly paid nearly 800,000 CFA francs. But the promised initiation never took place. The promises, along with the identity assumed by the fraudster, turned out to be a deception.
In its argument, the public prosecutor requested a sentence of 5 years in prison for the defendant, including 3 years without parole. The verdict is expected on July 24, 2024.