A 28-year-old driver, Samuel Issah Abdulai, who was arrested on his wedding day for allegedly defrauding multiple individuals, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Abdulai is accused of swindling three complainants out of GH¢352,000 by falsely promising to secure electronic visas to Mongolia, Georgia, Albania, and Malaysia. He has been charged with three counts of defrauding by false pretences and forgery of documents but has pleaded not guilty.
Presiding judge Samuel Bright Acquah granted him bail set at GH¢150,000, with three sureties—one of whom must be justified. He is also required to report to the police every two weeks.
According to Chief Inspector Daniel Danku, the prosecution’s lead officer, the victims include two traders, Ohenewa Sarah and Matilda Ayaaba, and a businesswoman, Aisha Ahmed, all based in Accra. The accused, who resides in Nkawie, Ashanti Region, allegedly worked with an accomplice named Antwi to lure unsuspecting victims.
Between September and December 2024, Abdulai and his accomplice reportedly advertised visa services online, claiming to facilitate travel to countries like Belarus, Andorra, Albania, and Malaysia. At the time, he allegedly pretended to be in Belarus.
The victims, believing his claims, sent him various sums:
GH¢47,000 from Ohenewa Sarah
GH¢55,000 from Matilda Ayaaba
GH¢250,000 from Aisha Ahmed, who had pooled funds from eleven other individuals
After receiving the money via his mobile money account, Abdulai went into hiding.3
In December 2024, Abdulai resurfaced and sent documents via WhatsApp, claiming they were electronic visas. However, the complainants became suspicious and began searching for him.
Their efforts paid off when they tracked him down to his wedding ceremony in Nkawie, Ashanti Region. With the help of other alleged victims, they arrested him mid-celebration and handed him over to the Teshie police.
A subsequent investigation at the Immigration DFEC Unit confirmed that the visas he provided were forged.
