Pastor in court over Visa deal

Agona Swedru, Nov 28, GNA - Edwin Okyere, Pastor in charge of the World Anointing Christian Chapel International, has appeared before an Agona Swedru Circuit Court charged with defrauding two people of 24.5 million cedis to secure Visa to the United States for them.

Okyere, alias Yaw Asane pleaded not guilty and was granted a 20 million-cedi bail to reappear on 22 December 2003.

Chief Inspector Lydia Vondee told the court presided over by Mr Paul Kwesi Richardson that in February, this year the accused announced in his Church that there would be a conference in USA and asked those who wanted to attend to contact him for assistance.

She said one Mr Owusu Ansah, a member of the Church informed David Eyiah, a barber and Solomon Panford, a plumber both resident at Agona Swedru who showed interest in the conference, which the accused said would be held in Califonia, from July 29th to August 1st 2003.

According to Chief Inspector Vondee, Okyere charged them 2,500 dollars amounting to 24 million cedis and Eyiah and Panford paid 12.8 million cedis and 11.7 million cedis respectively to the accused

She said the accused informed them that since they had never travelled outside the country he had to buy them South African Visas before giving them their tickets, passports and Visas through an agent.

The Prosecution said the accused also told the complainants that he had processed their documents and made bookings for their lodging in the United States. On June 17, this year the complainants were invited by the accused for an interview at the US Embassy in Accra to secure their visas but it was found out that they had never travelled to South Africa and they were refused visas. Chief Inspector Vondee said they confronted the accused for deceiving them and reported the matter to the Agona Swedru Police.