Pastor in court over alleged GH₵310,000 visa fraud

Cris Karl Ofori, a pastor, was on Friday put before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH₵310,000. 

Ofori is said to have collected the amount from the complainant (businessman) under the pretext of assisting him to secure visas for him and his family. 

Charged with defrauding by false pretences, Ofori pleaded not guilty. 

The court admitted Ofori to bail in the sum of GH₵350,000 with three sureties. Two of the sureties are to be public servants earning not less than GH₵5,000. 

The remaining surety is to be justified with title deed. 

The case has been adjourned to April 25, 2025. 

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Kwadwo Aboagye, told the court that the complainant, Amadu Seidu, was a resident of Sampa in the Bono Region. 

The accused is a branch pastor of a charismatic church at Tema. 

In 2023, prosecution said the complainant expressed his intention to travel to Canada with his family to resettle there. 

The complainant discussed this with one Nana Abena Sika, who introduced the accused as someone who could assist him (complainant) with the visa acquisition processes. 

In October 2024, the accused informed the complainant to make a commitment of GHC80,000, which the complainant promptly did and added three passport booklets (his own, that of his wife and daughter) to start the documentation process. 

Prosecution said the accused succeeded in collecting various sums of money totaling GH₵310,000 from the complainant. 

Later the accused called the complainant that he was not successful with the Canadian visa acquisition but rather obtained visas for the United Kingdom (UK). 

Based on that, the accused invited the complainant and family to Accra for the trip to the UK. 

Prosecution said the accused went into hiding and for three days when the family got to Accra. He was nowhere to be found. 

The court heard that the complainant’s family returned to Sampa. A report was made to the police at James Town and accused was arrested from his hideout. 

Ofori, in his caution statement, admitted the offence, prosecution said.