Hopewell Chin’ono slams Evangelist Benny Hinn as 'conman' exploiting faith

Award-winning Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono has launched a scathing critique of internationally known evangelist Benny Hinn, accusing him of exploiting vulnerable people under the guise of religious ministry.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Chin'ono described Hinn as a "conman" who manipulates faith and emotion for personal enrichment.

"This man is not a man of God, he is a conman. Benny Hinn has built a career manipulating faith and emotion to enrich himself while deceiving millions. Like many religious fraudsters, he preys on the desperate, the sick and the poor, promising miracles that never come," Chin'ono wrote.

He went further to allege that Hinn's influence in Zimbabwe is bolstered by "crooked friends in high places", suggesting a symbiotic relationship between corrupt elites and religious figures.

"There are countless crooks like him who exploit the vulnerable and the ignorant in the name of God, turning faith into a profitable business. At least for him, in Zimbabwe he has crooked friends in high places who also depend on a passive and captive citizenry; people who have been conditioned to tolerate abuse, repression and corruption without protest."

Chin'ono concluded that this dynamic represents a mutually beneficial arrangement between political power and religious manipulation - one that thrives on ignorance and fear while the nation sinks deeper into moral and economic decay.

His remarks have sparked debate online, with supporters praising his boldness and critics accusing him of disrespecting religious beliefs.