Two men in court for fraud

Accra, Dec. 16, GNA - A Circuit Court in Accra has granted bail to two people charged with defrauding a man with the pretext of using magical powers to turn cedis into dollars.

The accused persons, Yahaya Adamah, a Mallam and Abdul Fatah Ajayi, a trader, are charged for conspiracy, defrauding under false pretence and possession of fake currency.

Their plea was not taken but they have been granted bail in the sum of 50 million cedis each with one surety each to reappear on January 13, 2005.

DSP Eric Amoako, the prosecutor, told the court that about four months ago, Mr Samuel Klutse was introduced to the accused persons and asked to part with 14.5 million to enable him to be rich overnight since they had magical powers to conjure and turn cedis into dollars.

DSP Amoako said Adamah, the first accused, demanded and collected five million cedis to buy materials to start the process and asked Mr Klutse to book a hotel where the ritual could be performed.

He said Adamah showed Mr Klutse a black briefcase and asked him to lock and take it away and return it the next day.

The prosecution said when Mr Klutse returned the next day and opened the briefcase he found bundles of 100 US dollar notes in it. Adamah then picked a 100-dollar note and gave it to Mr Klutse to change into cedis, which he did.

Klutse then demanded the rest of the money but Adamah recited certain words and a strange voice demanded that another ritual should be performed before the money could be used.

DSP Amaoko said Adamah asked Mr Klutse to bring 500,000 CFA francs for the ritual, which he did. They went to the beach at James Town where he asked Mr Klutse to throw the money into the sea.

DSP Amaoko said Adamah asked Mr Klutse to meet him at the same hotel the next day to take the money away. When Mr Klutse went, a similar voice said the ritual was not genuine. Mr Klutse became suspicious and demanded his money, which Adamah promised to refund.

DSP Amaoko said while leaving the hotel, Adamah told Mr Klutse that he had left his book behind and Mr Klutse decided to accompany him to pick it.

He said immediately they entered, Mr Klutse saw Abdul Fatah Ajayi, the second accused person, coming out from a small room in the hotel. Adamah sensing danger left the brief case and bolted.

Ajayi was arrested and handed over to the police together with the brief case. When the brief case was opened it was found to contain bundles of 100 US dollars suspected to be fake.

When Adamah was arrested he contended that the money was genuine but Mr Klutse could not perform the ritual.