Herbalist charged for fraud

Accra, Oct 28, GNA - Seidu Alhassan, a herbalist, accused of collecting 90 million cedis from a Ghanaian deportee to invoke "super natural powers" to make him become a millionaire, but could not do so, on Friday appeared before a Regional Tribunal in Accra. Seidu who is further accused of dabbling in super natural powers to release Lotto numbers, which he termed as "three direct sure numbers", is also charged with fraud.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the offence. The tribunal, chaired by Mr. Justice Frank Manu, granted the accused bail in the sum of 100 million cedis. He will reappear on November 22.

Presenting the fact of the case, Police Chief Inspector Magdaline Otebil told the court that the complainant, Mr. Mohammed Awal Yusif, unemployed, lived at Fadama in Accra.

He described Alhassan as a self-styled herbalist and a spiritualist, who is not stationary.

Chief Inspector Otebil said sometime in 2003, Madam Fati Alhassan, a witness in the case, convinced the accused to move from Techiman to settle in Accra and housed by one Mr. Imurana Ali.

She said while in Accra the accused told his neighbours that he was a spiritualist and that he could double money for people. The Prosecutor said the accused also campaigned that he could invoke super natural powers to release lotto numbers for winning. She said Alhassan contacted Mr. Yusif who was deported from Germany, that he could make him a millionaire and the deportee showed interest.

Chief Inspector Otebil said after negotiations, the accused charged the complainant 90 million cedis, which he paid. She said after collecting the money, Alhassan later gave the complainant 5,000 CFA. He further directed that the complainant should keep the money in his palm consistently for three days, after which all moneys in his possession would be doubled.

According to her, the money could not be doubled. She said Alhassan then went into hiding, until September 23, this year when he was arrested in Kumasi and handed over to the police. Chief Inspector Otebil said during police investigation, Alhassan admitted that he collected six million cedis from Mr. Yusif, but not 90 million cedis.