An Accra Circuit Court has remanded two men into police custody over an alleged GH¢800,000 fraud involving a Ghanaian resident in the United States, according to the Ghana News Agency, as carried by MyJoyOnline and Adom Online.
The accused are Bilyaminu Ibrahim, 28, a media worker, and Mohammed Musah, 25, a journalist, The Ghanaian Chronicle reported. The charges before the court are conspiracy to commit crime, namely defrauding by false pretence, defrauding by false pretence, and harbouring a criminal. Musah faces the harbouring charge. Both pleaded not guilty, the Chronicle said.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Ramata Asumah told the court that in 2021, Katakaraou Jabiru, described as Ibrahim's alleged accomplice, learnt that the woman was facing challenges in the United States. The prosecution said Jabiru told her younger sister, the complainant, that he knew a spiritualist who could help, after which Ibrahim allegedly posed as that spiritualist.
The two allegedly collected GH¢800,000 from the woman in instalments, saying the money was needed for sacrifices and other spiritual activities to stop attacks against her and her mother. The prosecution said they later told her that her late father owed an unknown man who planned to haunt her spiritually, which led to further payments for Quran recitals and other spiritual activities.
In 2023, the court heard, Jabiru learnt that the woman's mother had suffered a stroke and allegedly told Ibrahim that someone was trying to inflict a similar attack on her. More money was allegedly collected for spiritual protection and to send the attack back to the "sender", followed by further payments as appreciation.
The matter was reported to family elders but was not resolved, and a complaint was made to the police. During investigations, Ibrahim allegedly admitted posing as a spiritualist, and police recovered GH¢49,000 from him, the prosecution said.
According to the prosecution, Jabiru fled to Togo after learning of Ibrahim's arrest but returned to Dodowa in September 2026, where he stayed with Ibrahim and Musah. On October 1, police officers who went to Jabiru's residence met Musah, who allegedly told them Jabiru had gone out. Musah then allegedly sent Jabiru a text message that read: "Don't come to the House." The prosecution said Musah admitted in his statement that he sent the message because he did not want Jabiru to be arrested.
Jabiru remains at large. The court, presided over by Joseph Kunsong, adjourned the case to October 20, 2026, while police investigations continue.