An Accra Circuit Tribunal chaired by Mr. Imoru Ziblim has ordered a bench warrant to issue for the arrest of a fetish priest, Nii Owufu Wulomo, of Nungua for failing to appear in court last Tuesday, January 8, 2002, to answer two counts of defrauding by false pretences and fraudulent land transaction contrary to sections 131 and 34(a) respectively of the Criminal Code, (Act 30), 1960.
Making the application for the bench warrant to issue, Chief Inspector Akologo, the prosecutor, said the accused person had been duly notified to attend court.
Count one of the statement of offence, defrauding by false pretences, states that Nii Owufu, fetish priest, on 28th June, 2000, at East Legon in the Greater Accra Region with the intent to defraud did obtain the consent of one Brenda Sakyi-Aikins to part with cash the sum of ?10 million by means of certain false pretences, to wit by falsely pretending that he could secure her a building plot and upon each false representation the priest succeeded in obtaining the said amount from the complainant, which statement the priest well knew at the time of making it to be false.
Count two states that the Nii Wulomo also purported to make a grant of a piece of land at East Legon to the complainant, which he knew he had no title to.
The facts of the case are that the complainant, who is a student living at South Labadi Estate and her husband, purchased a plot of land at East Legon from the accused person who issued them with an indenture.
When the complainant later conducted a search at the Lands Department it turned out that the plot belonged to one Seth Laryea Mensah of Teshie.
She, therefore, confronted the accused, who admitted having no title to the land and promised to refund the amount collected.
However, all efforts made to recover the money failed and a report was made to the police who charged the accused with the offence after thorough investigations.
The case has been adjourned to January 18, for mention.
Source: GhanaWeb
