An Accra Circuit Court has remanded two men in police custody over an alleged GH¢800,000 fraud involving a Ghanaian resident in the United States.
The two, Bilyaminu Ibrahim, a media worker, and Mohammed Musah, a journalist, were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, namely defrauding by false pretence and harbouring a criminal, respectively, Ghana News Agency reported.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Ramata Asumah, told the court that Fawuziya Issaka, younger sister of the alleged victim, Tourwana Katakarauo, who lives in the United States, reported the case to the police.
The prosecution said in 2021, Katakaraou Jabiru, an alleged accomplice of Ibrahim, learnt that Tourwana was facing challenges and allegedly planned with Ibrahim to obtain money from her under false pretences.
Jabiru allegedly told Fawuziya that he knew a spiritualist who could help Tourwana, with Ibrahim allegedly posing as the spiritualist.
According to the prosecution, the two collected about GH¢800,000 from Tourwana in instalments, claiming the money was needed for sacrifices and other spiritual activities to avert attacks against her and her mother.
They later allegedly told her that her late father was indebted to an unknown person who intended to haunt her spiritually, resulting in further payments for Quran recitals and other activities.
The matter was initially reported to family elders but could not be resolved, leading to a police complaint.
During investigations, Ibrahim allegedly admitted posing as a spiritualist. Court documents indicate that the police have recovered GH¢49,000 from him.
The prosecution said Jabiru fled to Togo after Ibrahim’s arrest, but returned to Dodowa in September 2026 and stayed with Ibrahim and Musah.
On October 1, police officers who went to Jabiru’s residence allegedly met Musah, who told them Jabiru had gone out.
Musah later sent Jabiru a message saying, “Don’t come to the house.”
The prosecution said Musah admitted sending the message because he did not want Jabiru arrested. The police says Jabiru is currently at large.
The two pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been remanded into police custody by the court, presided over by His Honour Joseph Kunsong, to reappear on October 20, 2026.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak