**Court Denies Bail to Pastor Accused of Romance Scam**

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded an online pastor and his wife into police custody over alleged romance scams involving seven complainants.

The court, on July 20, 2026, turned down bail for Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, 35, an entrepreneur, who is jointly charged with his wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, a chartered accountant, with six counts of conspiracy to commit crime, namely defrauding by false pretences.

Accused Pastor and Wife Deny Charges

The couple has denied the charges, with Kwarteng’s defence counsel, Mr Yaw Danquah, disputing the prosecution’s assertions that his client was a flight risk. Mr Danquah said Kwarteng’s Ghanaian passport was with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and that the allegations against Kwarteng were not supported by evidence.

The prosecution, led by Inspector Frank Morgan Dorvi, had opposed bail for Kwarteng, saying he was a flight risk and investigations were ongoing.

Online Scams and Instagram Presence

The prosecution said Kwarteng operated an Instagram page, Nana Bonsu Kwarteng, with about 21,000 followers, on which he presented himself as a pastor. The page was allegedly used to scam the seven complainants, including an ambassador and businesswomen, out of a total of $33,000, $4,000, GH¢25,000, and other foreign currencies.

The prosecution also alleged that during the relationships, Kwarteng intentionally captured intimate photographs and videos of some of the complainants without their knowledge.

Police Investigation and Arrest

The police investigation, led by Inspector Dorvi, revealed that Kwarteng used a similar approach with each of the complainants, proposing marriage and visiting their families before demanding and collecting money from them. The prosecution said Kwarteng and Sally went into hiding after they were wanted by the Police and EOCO, and that Kwarteng failed to honour repeated police invitations to assist with investigations.

The couple was arrested on July 18, 2026, after intelligence led to their location.

Bail Application Denied

Inspector Dorvi told the court that the Police were ready for an expeditious trial, and that Kwarteng was a flight risk. The court granted Sally bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties, but denied bail for Kwarteng.

Mr Danquah questioned Sally’s prosecution over an allegation that she received a nude picture from her husband. The prosecution said Kwarteng shared Sally with the other complainants.

Court Proceedings and Next Steps

The case has been adjourned to a later date, and Kwarteng and Sally will remain in police custody until then. The court proceedings will continue to shed light on the alleged romance scams and the involvement of the accused couple.

Source: JOY