A 62-year-old businesswoman who is facing multiple charges of defrauding by false pretences has been remanded to assist with investigations in a police bribery allegation that came up at the Adabraka District Court yesterday when her case was called.
That was after the prosecutor handling the case in which Nana Ama Nwarueze aka Ohemaa is standing trial for allegedly defrauding a CCTV technician of GH¢9,000 under the pretext of securing him an American visa, alleged that the accused had bribed the investigator handling the case.
While the accused had pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretence, Chief Inspector Apewa Achana told the court that during investigations, someone called the case investigator, C/Insp Hope Latsu, claiming to be a relative of the accused.
Following that, C/Insp. Achana said the person sent GH¢10,000 to the investigator to be used to pay the CCTV complainant, adding that the investigator could keep the remaining GH¢1,000 for his personal use.
However, the investigator, C/Insp. Latsu, notofied his superiors about the alleged bribe.
“Since the Ghana Police Service serves with integrity, we have brought the money and we pray for her remand to assist us with investigations to help us identify the sender,” he said.
The accused told the court that she knew about the money.
As a result, the court presided over by Abena Asoh Owusu-Omenyo remanded her to assist with investigations.
She is to reappear on Friday, May 9, 2025.
Remand
In a separate matter before the same court, Nwarueze has been slapped with two counts of defrauding by false pretences.
She has been accused of defrauding a pastor of GH¢ 170,000 under the pretext of clearing her goods at the Tema Port.
In that case, she has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been remanded to appear on May 26, 2025.
According to the prosecution, Nwarueze issued two blank cheques in an attempt to refund the money, but the same did not go through.
“The accused person told the pastor and his boss that she had a parcel of land at Villagio, Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout and Aburi in the Eastern Region.
The accused person took the complainant and his boss to inspect the lands, and they showed interest in the Aburi land, but she could not produce documents of ownership.
“The accused afterwards cut communications with the complainant and went into hiding,” C/Inp. Achana, who narrated the facts of the case, told the court.
He added that a news publication about the accused person’s arrest led the complainant to submit a petition for the case to be investigated.
Bail
In a third case at the same court, the accused has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢ 200,000 with two sureties, one of whom must be justified.
As part of the bail conditions, she is to deposit her passport at the court’s registry.
She is to report to the police twice every week.
In that case, she is alleged to have posed as a business mogul who owns expensive properties, including the Ohemaa Plaza at East Legon, some fishing vessels in Takoradi and a house at the Airport Residential Area in a bid to get the complainant in the case to give her the money.
The prosecution has charged the accused with one count of defrauding by false pretences.
