Businessman on GHC50,000.00 bail over visa fraud 

By Gifty Amofa

Accra, Jan.29, GNA- An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GHC50,000.00 bail with two sureties to a businessman who allegedly defrauded a woman of UDS5,000 under the pretext of securing her a German visa.

Faisal Moro Mohammed, 31, denied defrauding Madam Mercy Sarfo as well as breaching the trust between the two. 

Faisal will go back to the Court on February 29, 2024. 

Police Chief Inspector Daniel Danku told the Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah that Madam Mercy, the complainant, was a resident of Odorkor and a trader whilst Faisal, the accused person, was a businessman residing at Dansoman. 

He said in 2020, one Alhaji Razak a travelling agent introduced the complainant to the accused person and on May 4, 2023 complainant received a phone call from Alhaji Razak who told her that there was another travelling opportunity in Germany through Greece and informed her that the full package would cost USD7000, together with her passport and documents.  

Chief Inspector Danku said Alhaji further told her that the Complainant had to travel to Nigeria for the visa within three days, thus, the Complainant showed interest and later in the day, she received a phone call from Faisal, the accused person. 

Faisal went ahead and informed the complainant he was leaving the country with some passengers to Nigeria to secure German visas for them within three (3) days, the Court heard. 

The prosecution said on May 05, 2023, the complainant met the accused person at Aflao station and they left for Nigeria together with the other clients, adding that Faisal collected USD2000 from the complainant together with her Ghanaian passport to start the process. 

He said the accused person later demanded for additional USD3000 and the complainant informed a witness in this case back in Ghana for assistance. 

The accused person, the prosecution said, contacted a dispatch rider by the name, Mohammed in Ghana who met with the witness and collected the USD3000 on May 06, 2023. 

The Court heard that Faisal confirmed having received the money in Nigeria and again collected GHC2,000.00 from the complainant as a visa fee. 

Chief Inspector Danku said the Accused person failed to secure the visa for the complainant who spent two months in Nigeria and later returned to Ghana. 

During investigations, the accused person admitted to the charges against him. He pleaded with the Police to give him some time to refund the money to the complainant. 

GNA