By Gifty Amofa
Accra, Aug. 16, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a self-styled Imam into police custody for allegedly threatening to kill his wife.
Imam Mohammed Lanson Abubakar, 44, also known as “Andre” pleaded not guilty to the offence but was remanded by the Court as the prosecution opposed to bail with the reason that he jumped when granted police enquiry.
Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer told the Court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo that due to that act, police had not been able to complete investigation, adding that he might not turn up for trial when granted bail.
The Court issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear before it on March 27.
He was, therefore, remanded to assist police in investigation and to be brought back on September 2, 2024.
Police Chief Inspector Laweh giving the facts said Maimuna Sarki Abubakar, Abubakar’s wife, the complainant, was a Social Worker and a Nigerian, domiciled in the United Kingdom.
He said Abubakar, was a self-styled Imam and businessman residing in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region whilst the complainant was his estranged wife.
Chief Inspector Lawer said Abubakar contacted Maimuna through social media, and they started chatting, where Abubakar portrayed himself to her as an Imam in charge of a mosque and convinced her to get married to him, which she agreed, and they got married.
Prior to the separation, Maimuna had bought a parcel of land at East Trassaco through Abubakar and built a one-storey residential building on same, the Court heard.
The prosecution said Maimuna subsequently furnished the house and travelled back to the United Kingdom, saying that anytime she came back to Ghana to visit her husband, she resided in the said house with her husband.
Chief Inspector Lawer said Abubakar in 2020, convinced Maimuna to buy and ship 2020 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 Infinity CPX vehicles to him in Ghana so that he could sell the vehicles and use the proceeds to buy a parcel of land at Adjiringanor for her.
The said vehicles, the Court heard, were bought by Maimuna, and shipped to Abubakar, and he used the proceeds to buy four (4) plots of land at Adjiringanor.
Later, the marriage went bad and Abubakar in one of their fights threatened her, saying “I have swindled you; I am taking over your building and all your property here in Ghana, including your daughter. If you dare get closer to this property again, I will kill you.”
His defense counsel in praying for bail denied that her client jumped bail, claiming he had travelled and that it was not true that he threatened as charged.
They are currently seeking a divorce at the Adentan Court, the Court was told.
She said Abubakar was a responsible family person, with a fixed place of abode and would be available to stand trial.
GNA