Local Chief Is A Visa Contractor

The chief of Cape Three Point, Nana Gyendi Amoako III, is in the firm grips of the law on suspicion of being a "visa contractor" who has disappointed her clients. Hardly a day passes by without the seventy year old Ahanta chief being summoned to the law court to answer charges of fraud leveled against her by her numerous "clients".

Nana is currently answering more than three fraud charges involving huge sums of monies at three different Circuit Courts in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.The legal battles against her are coinciding with her failing health. As a diabetic suffering from a swollen foot, Nana yendi finds it almost impossible appearing physically in the courts and therefore delegates some of her elders to do so on her behalf.

Nana Gyendi is said to be planning to sell some of her buildings to enable her repay all monies collected from her clients so as to have her peace of mind.Luck run out for the chief on April 2000 when a Warrant Officer of the Apremdo Second Battalion of Infantry (2BN), WO Gyamfi Akuete, dragged her to the Takoradi District Court for failing to refund an amount of 8 million cedis and 600 US dollars she took as fees for securing a visa for his son to travel abroad.

In part jugdement given last week, the Magistrate, Mr. Mohamadu Iddrisu, ordered a refund of the monies including a four million cedi interest.

Nana Gyendi Amoako who has apparently misplaced the boy's passport collected in addition to the monies, has denied ever recieving it. The magistrate has invited witnesses to testify in court next week.