Court orders arrest of pastor over fake currency

Accra, July 2, GNA - A Circuit Court in Accra on Friday ordered the arrest of Apostle Richard Kwesi Dwofuor, a pastor of the Conquerors Redemption Ministries International at Achimota, over fake GH 50 cedi notes totaling GH 110,000 cedis retrieved at his church premises. His accomplices Charles Tawiah, a petty trader and a church member and Reverend Isaac Oti Agyemang, a pastor of the church, have been remanded into Police custody by the court. They have been charged with conspiracy to possessing fake currency and possessing fake currency. While Tawiah and Agyemang, pleaded not guilty to the charges, Apostle Dwofour is said to be at large. They are to reappear on July 14.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) A.A Annor, told the court presided over by Mr D.E.K Daketse that security personnel received information that some people had in their possession GH 50 cedis notes totaling GH 110,000 cedis suspected to be fake and they were hiding in the premises of Conquerors Redemption Ministries, Achimota. According to the information given, they were about to transact business with the said amount.

ASP Annor said personnel of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) were dispatched to Achimota.

On their arrival at the church premises, the team met the accused persons excluding Apostle Dwofuor having in their possession a black laptop bag containing the money.

The prosecution said the suspects were picked up by the BNI and during interrogation, they stated that it was Apostle Dwofuor who handed over the money to them but he (Apostle Dwofuor) asked them to wait as he was going out to bring a prospective buyer.

ASP Annor said the security personnel escorted the accused persons and the money to the BNI headquarters for further investigations. At the BNI headquarters, it was detected that some of the notes bore the same serial numbers. Prosecution said efforts were being made to trace and arrest Apostle Dwofuor.