News
Pastor in court over visa fraud
- /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-just-God.jpg&description= Pastor in court over visa fraud', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-just-God.jpg&description= Pastor in court over visa fraud', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
Cris Karl Ofori, a pastor, was on Friday appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH¢310,000.
Pastor Ofori was 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 presences, 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 was 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 in 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 GH¢80,000, 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 where a report was made to the police at James Town and the accused was arrested from his hideout.
Pastor Ofori, in his caution statement, admitted the offence, prosecution said.
—GNA
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken note of public allegations of extortion and related conduct made against the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The allegations were made by the Chief Executive of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.
In a brief statement, the OSP said it has also received a joint petition submitted by two persons, as well as two separate petitions from other persons, in relation to the same allegations.
“Given the nature of the allegations, the OSP will assess the case and determine whether it falls within its statutory mandate and whether further investigative action is warranted,” the statement said.
The development comes amid a heated public feud between the Minority in Parliament and the leadership of GoldBod over the operations of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The Minority, led by Afenyo-Markin, has accused GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana of causing a loss of over $1.7 billion, citing the International Monetary Fund’s August 2026 report. The Minority has vowed to pursue the matter as Parliament has reconvened for an emergency sitting.
GoldBod, on the other hand, has rejected claims by some NPP MPs, including Tano South MP Dr Gideon Boako, that it owes the Bank of Ghana GH¢1 billion in overdrafts, describing the claim as “false and malicious.”
In the latest twist, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has accused the Minority Leader of extortion and related conduct, an allegation that has triggered petitions to the OSP.
The OSP is mandated under Act 959 to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically exposed persons.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
