The fates of social media influencer, Frederick Kumi, aka Abu Trica, known for flaunting a luxurious lifestyle, and two others hang in the balance as the Gbese District Court has set February 7, 2026 to deliver a ruling on calls for them to the discharged from ongoing proceedings to extradite them to the US for romance scam allegations.
The state has opted to drop charges against Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo, who are accused of conspiring with Abu Trica to defraud foreign nationals in the US of over $8 million dollars.
“Upon investigation gathered, the Republic seeks to withdraw the charges against Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo,” the prosecution led by Derrick Ackah Nyameke told the court.
This revelation triggered lawyers for Abu Trica to urge the court to discharge him as well, since the three were all accused of conspiracy.
Arrest
A joint operation carried out by a team of Ghanaian and US security agencies led to the arrest of 31-year-old Kumi on December 11, 2025.
The arrest was made possible through the collaboration between the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio and Ghana’s security agencies such as Attorney General’s Office, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and Ghana Police Service.
Abu Trica has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and a forfeiture specification, and faces up to 20 years in prison, according to the US Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio.
According to recently unsealed indictment, Kumi is accused of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to assume false identities and form close personal relationships with victims, through social media and online dating platforms, and gain their trust before extorting them of their money and valuables.
Call For Discharge
His lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, told the court that “one person cannot be found guilty of alleged conspiracy because the alleged conspirators are no longer before the court. Our law is that where a person is said to have conspired with others even, if those persons are unknown to the court, the accused ought to be discharged.”
He contended that if the alleged conspirators have been identified but have been discharged, it is illegally impossible to proceed against the remaining accused persons.
“The charge against A1 (Abu Trica) fails in its entirety by the withdrawal of the charge against his alleged conspirators. The charges preferred against him not in any way indicated that there are conspirators who are at large,” he added.
But Mr. Nyameke disagreed with the defence lawyer, who argued that Abu Trica has not been arraigned before the court for the purpose of trial in Ghana over criminal offence.
He said defence counsel’s objection seeks to introduce an understanding of conspiracy in matters pending before a trial court.
“Act 22 and 1931 extradition treaty between US and UK allows a fugitive to be provisionally arrested and arraigned before a District Court pending the receipt of diplomatic extradition request,” he said.
He added that Abu Trica has been arraigned and if his objection is anything to go by, then it is premature to call for his release.
However, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, contended that during the committal proceedings, the court must exercise its jurisdiction on the basis of an offence that is recognisable to Ghana’s law.
“Under Ghana’s law, one person cannot be charged with conspiracy. Article 3 of the treaty relied on by the Republic, there is no extraditable offence called conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Committal proceedings do not arrive out of the vacuum. They must be grounded in law,” he added.
The court, presided over by a relieving magistrate, Her Worship Bernice Ackon, adjourned the case to February 7, 2026, to deliver a ruling on the issues raised.
Meanwhile, defence lawyers have filed for bail and a judicial review at the High Court, and have subsequently filed for a stay of the extradition proceedings pending the judicial review.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak