Pastor arraigned in court for fraud

An Accra-based pastor has been put in the dock at the Accra Circuit Court “8” for allegedly defrauding a female church member of GH¢400,376.00.

Pastor Jonas Antwi Boasiako took the money from Madam Evelyn Frimpong, who was once an international business woman, but now jobless, for them to engage in a gold business, which turned out to be false.

However, the court presided by Mrs. Maliki Awo Woayah Dey, adjourned the case last Thursday, to today, Tuesday, June 27, 2017, for further cross-examination of the victim, who could not finish giving her evidence last week.

But, the pastor had already been granted bail, and he has done his best to make part-payment to Madam Frimpong through the court.

According to Madam Frimpong, who doubles as a church elder, she gave the money to the pastor because she trusted him.

The victim told the court that Pastor Boasiako still owed her (victim) an amount of US$24,000.00, following an ML Benz car he bought from her in 2006 when she drove it to Church one day and he (Pastor) showed interest in the car.

“He has not even paid for the ML Benz car he bought from me,” she said.

Madam Frimpong stated that she left for Hong Kong two months after selling her car and met a certain man there (Hong Kong) and on her return to Ghana, the man told her that he was operating a Savings and Loans Company and asked the victim whether she was interested in joining him to operate his business.

She told the court that she confided in the Pastor about the Savings and Loans business the other man had discussed with her.

She said Pastor Boasiako advised her against it on the basis that the man would cheat her. The woman said that the accused invited her for an important discussion and on arrival, met a certain man already seated by Pastor Jonas.

The victim said that the man left the office as soon as he saw her for an unknown place, leaving them (Pastor and victim) in the office.

She said that hardly had she taken her seat when Pastor Jonas “told me that the man I just met in the office is into gold business and asked me whether I was interested and I responded in the positive.”

The woman said “and once I trusted him as my Pastor, he called me from time to time for money all in the name of the gold business and had so far collected a total amount of GH¢400,376.00.”

The prosecution ended the cross-examination and asked for adjournment to continue the case today at exactly 11:00 am.