The Statesman

Rogue U.S. investor unmasked

In this banner headline story, the Statesman says the current eagerness to attract investors to boost Ghana?s economy and African-Americans to retrace their steps back to Africa, has its clear risk as the exposure of Ahveeshadia Ben Visrael, an African-American, has revealed.

The story says a burly bearded Rastafarian, Ahveeshadia, who was recently reported to have raped his housemaid, had a child by her and shirked responsibility has been exposed as a ?smooth con-man? operating under a variety of names.

The Statesman says variously responding to names like Luctrice Curtice, Leonardo Curtis, N.D. Harring and Omodele McCowan, the burly 150-pound-plus African-American, who arrived in Ghana about three years ago, and was welcome with open arms as a ?money-man? with lots of dollars to invest, is a common crook, after all.

According to the paper, investigations spanning several weeks since the reported rape case which is now under examination by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), revealed that Ahveeshadia, between 1983 and 1993, served time in the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the United States for making phoning articles, credit cards and bank drafts.

The Statesman says when he was released from jail, he headed for Ghana, robed as an investor and registered the ?Life Westland of Eden? as a company on September 27, 1996, and was issued a certificate to commence on October 2, 1996. The Statesman says Ahveeshadia operated the company as a vegetarian restaurant and set up a shop each at

Adenta, near Accra and Paloma Arcade in Accra. According to the paper, life for him since then, has been one of adventure and fun while his numerous victims swore and cursed after being ?smooth-talked? into parting with thousands of dollars.