Spiritual gold deal goes sour- Herbalist defrauds couple of GH¢94,000

A 31-YEAR-OLD herbalist, Hassan Talha, popularly known as Alhassan, has been jailed for defrauding a couple to the tune of GH¢94,000 on the pretext of helping them retrieve a pot of gold buried in their family house.

The couple, Charles Addai and Emelia Oppong, told the police that the convict collected a total amount of GH¢94,000.00 from them but Alhassan admitted collecting only GH¢35,000.

Alhassan, who was charged with two counts of defrauding by false pretence, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by Circuit Court in Kumasi presided over by Mrs Patricia Amponsah.

Consequently, he was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour.

Presenting the facts of the case to the court, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Felix Akowuah said somewhere in 2016, Alhassan introduced himself to Mr Addai as a spiritualist who could provide him with winning lotto numbers through spiritual means.

He said Alhassan demanded GH¢2,000 from Addai to procure some items to conjure the numbers.

According to the prosecution, Alhassan was later involved in a motor accident and was admitted to a hospital in Kumasi.

He said Alhassan, resident in Asante Mampong, called Addai for assistance as he did not have any relative in Kumasi.

The prosecutor said Addai obliged and later took Alhassan to his house at North Suntreso to enable him to recover from his injuries.

To show appreciation for their assistance, ASP Akowuah said Alhassan told the couple that he had seen in the spiritual realm that a pot of gold had been buried in Emelia’s family house and he could assist them to retrieve it.

He stated that the couple took Alhassan to their family house at Ahafo Kenyasi N0. 2 where he allegedly showed them where the gold was buried.

Alhassan then demanded various sums of money amounting to GH¢94,000 on the pretext of procuring items to perform rituals to enable him to retrieve the pot.

"After collecting the money, Alhassan went into hiding, and that compelled the couple to report to the police," the prosecutor stated.
Alhassan was later arrested at his hideout at Mampong and was charged with the offences.

He initially told the police that he collected only GH¢15,000 from the couple but later admitted collecting GH¢32,900 and not the GH¢94,000 as alleged by the couple.