The Dodowa Magistrate Court has remanded two Togolese ‘spiritualists’ in custody for conspiracy to commit crime, possession of fake currency and defrauding by false pretence.
Moses Kodjovi Worglo and Kudjo Adzahorsu, who were granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 each with two sureties, could not meet the bail condition as they have no place of abode in Ghana.
The court presided over by Mr Charles Kwasi Acheampong, therefore, refused them bail when they first appeared on September 8, 2017, since they have no place of abode in the country.
The court, however, granted them bail on their second appearance but they could not fulfil the bail bond and were, therefore, remanded again to appear at a later date.
Brief facts
The facts of the case as presented by the prosecutor, Sergeant Saviour Ashiagbor, were that the complainants, Wisdom Agbetorwu and Godsway Agbanu, are a trader and a receptionist at a guest house at Oyibi near Dodowa, respectively.
He said in August 2017, Worglo and Adzahorsu introduced themselves to the first complainant, Agbetorwu, as spiritualists/herbalists who could double any amount given to them for a fee.
Sgt Ashiagbor said Agbetorwu showed interest in the deal and lodged the two at the Friends Guest House at Oyibi.
He stated that the two collected an amount of GH¢8,000.00 from Agbetorwu to purchase items for the rituals to double the money.
He said after performing the rites, the two informed Agbetorwu that they had conjured an amount of GH¢3 billion but needed a special perfume to make it genuine for use.
The accused persons, therefore, handed over US$2,015 to Agbetorwu.
The prosecutor said while the two spiritualists were performing the rituals, the second complainant, Agbanu, also expressed interest in doubling his money.
Therefore, the two collected GH¢1,100 from Agbanu under the pretext of buying the items for the rituals.
Sgt Ashiagbor said Agbanu accompanied Worglo and Adzahorsu to the Madina market and bought the items for the rituals to double the money for him.
He said later, the two complainants became suspicious of the accused persons’ activities since Agbetorwu did not receive the money the two claimed to have conjured for him.
They, therefore, reported Worglo and Adzahorsu to the police and they were arrested.
The prosecution said a search conducted in their bags at the hotel revealed $6,017.00, all fake in addition to pieces of white papers neatly cut to the size of the dollar.
He said after thorough investigations, they were charged with the offences.
Public education
Sgt Ashiagbor said a lot of such people were in the country duping unsuspecting individuals with money-doubling tricks and advised the general public to be wary of such miscreants and report them to the security agencies.