Fortune teller promises to locate stolen money

I recently lost TZS 15M from my house and suspect that one of my employees stole it. A friend introduced me to a man who claims to possess supernatural powers and says that, for TZS 500,000, he can identify the thief and where the money is hidden. He has assured me that his powers have never failed. I am considering paying him because the police investigations are taking too long. My wife says that the man could actually be committing a crime simply by offering such services. Is she correct?

AK, Mwanza

Section 308 of the Penal Code addresses persons who, for gain or reward, undertake to tell fortunes or pretend, through knowledge or skill in an occult science, to discover where or how stolen or lost property may be found. Therefore, a person who demands payment while pretending to possess occult powers capable of locating your stolen money may commit an offence under this provision. The law does not require you to first prove that his supernatural predictions were unsuccessful.

However, the offence depends on the circumstances, including whether the person is acting for gain or reward and making the kind of representations contemplated by the provision. Ordinary investigative assistance is not the same thing as pretending to use occult powers. We would advise you to continue cooperating with the police rather than spending another TZS 500,000 on someone promising to locate the missing TZS 15M through supernatural means. Otherwise, you may soon need another fortune teller to help you locate the first one!