File photo of a court mallet
Christopher Nelson, known as Mr. Logic, a musician, has appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding an American of $21,000 and GH₵48,000.
Nelson is accused of collecting the money under the pretext of securing the American citizen a resident permit in Ghana, but he failed to do so. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretense.
Nelson, represented by counsel, was granted bail in the sum of GH¢400,000, with three sureties.
Two of the sureties are required to be public servants earning not less than GH₵2,000 and residing within the court's jurisdiction. Additionally, the court stated that the other surety must be justified with a title deed.
The court, presided over by Halimah El-Alawa Abdul Basit, also ordered Nelson to deposit his passport at the Court's Registry and to report to the police every two weeks.
It further directed the prosecution to file disclosures and witness statements for case management.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, did not oppose bail earlier but requested that the bail conditions ensure the accused person's appearance in court and at the police station pending the final determination of the matter.
The case, as narrated by the prosecution, is that the complainant, Khori Edward Lewis, is an American citizen residing in Pantang, Accra.
The prosecution stated that the accused also resided in Pantang.
In May 2023, the complainant and his family visited Ghana and were introduced to Monica Spence, who claimed to be under the management of Mr. Logic's music management. During the conversation, the accused allegedly intimated to the complainant that he could obtain a resident permit for a fee.
The complainant expressed interest, and the accused took advantage of this, demanding and collecting $21,000 under the pretext of securing a resident permit for the complainant and his family.
The prosecution also stated that the accused collected an additional GH₵48,000 from the complainant for taxes payable to the government.
The prosecutor informed the court that the complainant conducted his own investigations and discovered that the transaction was not legitimate, and the funds charged by the accused were unauthorized.
On May 11, 2024, the complainant reported the matter to the police, and the accused was invited multiple times via his cell phone to assist in the investigation but failed to respond.
The prosecution revealed that inquiries with the Ghana Immigration Service indicated that the cost of the resident permit was $1,000 per person. Consequently, a summons was prepared and served on the accused to appear before the court.
