A SELF-acclaimed ‘Mallam’ who defrauded a Takoradi-based businesswoman to the tune of US$10,000 has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by the Takoradi Circuit Court ‘A’.
The accused, Ibrahim Adelove, 49, defrauded the complainant, Kike Rahim, of the amount equivalent to GH¢77,000 under the pretense of securing her some goods from Togo.
He was charged with defrauding by false pretense contrary to section 131 of the Criminal Offenses Act 1960 (Act 29).
The accused also told the businesswoman that he could assist her reverse some so-called misfortunes in her life.
The court, presided over by His Lordship Michael Ampadu, convicted Ibrahim, and sentenced him after the proceedings to serve as a deterrent to others.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Robert Yawson told the court that complainant, Kike Rahim, is a trader who deals in spiritual fragrances and ointments in Takoradi.
He noted that in 2019, she approached Ibrahim Adelove, the self-acclaimed ‘Mallam’ who resides in Kwesimintsim in the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality of the Western Region.
The prosecutor added that the accused tactfully established acquaintances with the complainant to assist her to get some spiritual breakthrough.
The accused later revealed to the complainant that her own mother was the cause of her backwardness in life, and promised to help her to clear the bondage.
Complainant naively believed the self-acclaimed ‘Mallam’, and the ‘Mallam’ succeeded in extorting countless amount of money from her.
The self-acclaimed ‘Mallam’ was able to convince the complainant to give him money to buy her merchandise at a considerably cheaper rate from the Republic of Togo.
She accepted the idea and gave the accused an equivalent amount of US$10,000 in Ghana cedis for the purchase of the items.
After a week, the accused was nowhere to be found, and several phone calls to his phone were unanswered.
Later, he called the complainant to inform her that the money got missing while in transit to Togo.
The businesswoman, however, did not believe his claims, insisting that he pays back her money, but the accused refused.
On Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at about 5:00pm, the complainant spotted the accused around Davi Ama Chop Bar in Takoradi, and raised an alarm that led to his arrest.
The accused admitted receipt of the money, and further admitted that he invested it in a petrol business in Togo, but the business unfortunately collapsed.
FROM Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi