Priest impersonator arrested in 20 million rupee gold scam

A 54-year-old man posing as a shrine priest has been arrested for allegedly defrauding property owners of gold jewelry worth approximately 20 million rupees. The suspect targeted women who had placed advertisements for houses or land in weekend newspapers, claiming he could use divine powers to facilitate quick sales through specific rituals.

In one instance involving a woman in Mirihana, the suspect claimed divine intervention revealed her property was unsellable. He requested 500,000 rupees for a ritual and instructed the victim to place several pieces of gold jewelry in a pot covered with cloth as part of the ceremony. After performing prayers for several hours, he instructed her to retrieve the jewelry after 21 days. When the victim checked the pot at the designated time, the jewelry was missing and no buyer had appeared.

The Nugegoda Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau conducted the investigation, recovering more than 40 sovereigns of gold jewelry. An accomplice, who allegedly purchased the stolen gold, has also been arrested.