Exorcist pastor charged for fraud

A self-styled pastor who allegedly lured his victim to present her valuables for purification has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for fraud.

The accused, Isaac Passah, unemployed and one Cephas – currently at large – are facing two counts of conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences.

They are said to have on September 17, this year, at the Achimota overhead bridge in Accra, enticed one Benedicta Nsiah to part with an Asser laptop valued at Ghc2,000; two Apple tablets valued at Ghc3,400; Nokia Lumnia 900 valued at Ghc900; Blackberry phone – Ghc850; Samsung Galaxy S4 costing Ghc1,450. The total value of the items Benedicta was said to have parted with was Ghc12,400 together with fiscal cash of Ghc3,800.

At his trial in the court presided over by Samuel Boakye Yiadom, the accused denied the offences.

He was granted bail in the sum of Ghc20,000 with three sureties, one to be a public servant earning not less than Ghc500 a month.

Prosecuting, ASP A.A Yirenkyi said the complainant is a student at the University of Ghana while the accused is an unemployed living at Chantan, a suburb of Accra.

He said at about 3:00 pm on the aforementioned date, Nsiah was returning from a lecture but on reaching a section of the road near Accra Poly, the accused asked the complainant to direct him to the Christ Embassy Church.

The police officer said the complainant told Passah that she did not know the location of that church, adding that one Cephas, who is an accomplice of the accused, chipped in and testified that the accused person was a pastor.

According to the prosecutor, Passah further deceived Benedicta Nsiah into believing that she could get spiritual help from the accused person and consequently asked her to go and bring the aforementioned items for purification because there was an evil spirit following her.

ASP Yirenkyi said on September 17, at the Achimota overhead, the complainant handed over the aforementioned items to Passah for prayers but the accused persons vanished with them after they had sent the complainant to buy water for blessing.

At about 9:00 am on September 19, the prosecution said, the complainant spotted the accused person at the 37 Military Hospital and caused his arrest.

Passah admitted the offence in his caution statement and the Asser laptop and an amount of Ghc3,800 were retrieved from him.