4 spiritualists arrested for Gh¢86,394 fraud

Four Spiritualists in the Eastern Region who allegedly defrauded some unsuspecting persons of various sums of money totalling Gh¢86,394.00 under the guise of multiplying their money for Orem, have been arrested by the police.

They are Nana Yaw Sofehu, 32, aka Togbui Shetor, resident of Kukurantumi; Farouk Alhassan, 32, aka Okomfo Anokye Kitewa, resident of Okorase; Ibrahim Alhassan, 26, resident of Okorase and Adjei Emmanuel, 31, aka Agbe, who resides at Koforidua Zongo.


The four are currently on police enquiry bail after being cautioned. In all, 11 persons had reported to the Eastern Regional Police Command about the fraud after visiting the so-called shrines of the alleged spiritualists who used various tales to make people part with their monies in the hope of getting them doubled or multiplied.


Togbui Shetor, according to the police, had defrauded at least seven persons in the sum of Gh¢42,364.00, while Okomfo Anokye had gained Gh¢13,630.00 from three people.


Ibrahim had also taken Gh¢6,900.00 from one person, while Agbe also succeeded in duping two victims to the tune of Gh¢23,500.00.


These spiritualists had convinced their victims through deceptive advertisements on both television, bill boards and on air, that they had powers to multiply or double money.


Briefing the media on Wednesday, the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Akuribah Yaagy, pleaded with journalists who advertise activities of such 'spiritualists' to be careful about them.

He called on the National Media Commission (NMC), the Ghana Journalists Association and the Herbal and Traditional Medicine Practitioners Council to use their good offices to regulate the activities of their members.


He also called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to review their modus of issuing permits for the mounting of bill boards, stressing that such fraudsters should not be allowed to mount deceptive bill boards to lure people into danger.


The police chief said dockets on the matter had been forwarded to the Attorney General's (AG's) office for advice.


"The police are also picking signals that these so-called spiritual activities require spilling of human blood; and the more one spills the blood the more money one gets. It is therefore not uncommon to see accidents of late involving the knocking down of at least three or more pedestrians at a time, leading to their death," he noted, citing cases at Akropong, Kukurantumi and Akoti as examples of such alleged blood money accidents.


DCOP Yaagy said the regional command was aware of the operations of other quacks in the region like Alhaji Ibrahim at Oyoko and Simon Quao, aka Nana Dzakpata, at Adweso.


He cautioned them to desist from their fraudulent trade or risk being arrested and prosecuted.