Pastor in court for visa racketeering

Accra, Aug 20, GNA- A self-styled pastor, Paul Ambek, was on Monday put before an Accra circuit court for allegedly defrauding a number of people under the pretext of securing them with United Kingdom and United States visas.

He is alleged to have defrauded his victims of 45,000 GH cedis (450 million cedis).

The accused person who pleaded not guilty to fraud and false pretence was granted a bail in the sum of GH cedis 60,000 (600 million cedis) with three sureties to re-appear on September 17, 2007. He is to report at the CID headquarters every Monday. The prosecutor, Inspector John Nyantuamey said in February 2005, the accused convinced the victim, whose name is being withheld, that he could obtain US and UK visa for him and took 25,000 GH cedis (250 million cedis).

He said the accused demanded an initial amount of GH=A2100 (one million cedis) and subsequently took monies in batches with highest being 2,700 GH cedis (27 million cedis).

Prosecutor Nyantuamey said the accused later told the complainant that the US visa deal had been aborted and that he was working on securing a United Kingdom Visa for him.

He said the complainant after a long period of time without any results became alarmed and alerted the police, who mounted a search for him. On August 1, the police arrested Ambek at his hideout in Adenta, Accra.