A 28-year-old man, Samuel Issah Abdulai, has been arraigned at the Accra Circuit Court after he was arrested on his wedding day at Nkawie, near Kumasi in the Ashanti region.
Abdulai, a driver, allegedly collected GHC352,000.00 from three complainants whom he promised of securing visas for them to travel but failed.
The accused is alleged to have promised the three persons visas of Mongolia, Georgia, Albania and Malaysia.
He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of defrauding by false pretences and forgery of documents.
The court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, has admitted the accused to bail in the sum of GHC150,000.00 with three sureties, one to be justified.
The accused person was ordered to report to the Police once every two weeks by the Court.
The complainants, Sarah Ohenewa and Matilda Ayaaba, according to lead prosecution, Chief Inspector Daniel Danku, are traders, and Aisha Ahamed, a businesswoman, all residents of Accra.
The Chief Inspector stated that the accused, Abdulai, is a resident of Nkawie in the Ashanti region.
According to Prosecution, Abdulai and his accomplice, one Antwi, between the months of September and December 2024, placed advertising fliers on the internet looking for persons who are interested in traveling to Belarus, Andora, Albania and Malaysia for work.
The accused, according to prosecution, claimed to be in Belarus at the time.
He later contacted the three complainants on different occasions, per the facts of the court, and told them he could secure visas for them to travel to the above named countries.
Prosecution said Abdulai then demanded and collected cash in the sum of GH₵47,000 from Sarah Ohenewa, the first complainant, GH₵55,000 from Matilda Ayaaba, the second complainant and GH₵250,000 from the third complainant Aisha Ahmed, who also collected money from eleven persons.
Prosecution said Abdulai, after collecting the money via his Momo number, bearing his name, went into hiding.
The Court said somewhere in December 2024, Abdulai “surfaced and sent some documents he claims were electronic visas to the complainants via WhatsApp.
The Prosecution said the complainant suspected foul play and started looking for the accused person.
The Court heard that the complainants and other persons believed to be victims of the accused person, arrested Abdulai at his wedding ceremony at Nkawie in the Ashanti region and handed him over to the Police at Teshie.
“Further checks on the electronic visas at the Immigration DFEC Unit revealed that all the visas were fake.” Prosecution said.
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