Fetish priest in court for dealing in fake money

A Koforidua circuit court presided over by Mrs Mercy Adei-Kotey has granted bail to a fetish priest to the sum of 150,000 Ghana cedis with two sureties – one to be justified for possessing fake money and defrauding by false pretence.

The accused, Richard Vormawor, 43, popularly known as Nana Buame, pleaded not guilty to the charge of preparation to commit crime to wit, defrauding by false pretence and is to re-appear on May 6, 2021.

The facts of the case as presented by Chief Inspector Owusu Ababio were that in recent times, the Koforidua district police command had been inundated with complaints of people being defrauded by a fetish priest under the pretext of doubling money for them, thereby, putting the police on high alert.

On April 4, around 1300 hours, the complainant Police General Lance Corporal Eric Akpai who was performing duty at the Nkurakan barrier, near Koforidua spotted the accused on board a Hyundai mini bus heading towards Koforidua.

The vehicle was stopped and a search conducted revealed seven bundles of 20.00 Ghana cedis notes and two bundles of 10.00 Ghana cedis notes suspected to be counterfeit in the possession of the accused person.

He was then arrested and brought to the station for necessary action, during his caution statement, he revealed that the bundles of money were rather plain white papers he had cut in the form of 10 and 20 Ghana cedis notes covered with original cedi notes.

The prosecution said the accused could not give any tangible reason when questioned about his intentions, suggesting that he was on a mission to defraud the unsuspecting public with an old trick.

After investigation he was charged with the offence and arraigned before the court.

Information gathered according through investigations showed that the accused person had just recently relocated from Takoradi to stay at Koforidua Zongo to operate as a fetish priest.

At the time of filing this report, the accused had not been able to fulfil the bail bond.