Police arrest 'fake' pastor over alleged marriage scam and intimate image blackmail

The Ghana Police Service has arrested a man suspected of orchestrating a romance scam in which he allegedly defrauded several women through false promises of marriage and later blackmailed some of them with their intimate images.

The suspect, identified as Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, is alleged to have posed as a pastor conducting online church services on Instagram, where he convinced women that God had revealed they were destined to become his wives.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 28, the Police said preliminary investigations showed the suspect gained the trust of his victims by meeting their families, presenting promise rings and later introducing some of them to a fraudulent business venture.

"Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect posed as a pastor conducting online church services on Instagram, where he targeted women and claimed that God had revealed they were his future wives," the statement read in part.

According to the Police, the suspect allegedly obtained intimate images from some of the women and used them to extort money.

He is also accused of collecting thousands of dollars from victims under the pretext of importing and clearing containers of vehicle tyres before becoming unreachable.

Investigators further alleged that the suspect shared some of the intimate images with his wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, who is also accused of threatening the victims.

Seven victims have so far reported the matter to the Police, with investigations indicating that the alleged offences date back to 2021.

The two suspects have since appeared before the Accra Circuit Court 1 on charges including conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretences and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

"The Ghana Police Service continues to receive complaints from other possible victims and encourages persons who may have experienced similar incidents involving the suspect to report to the nearest Police station to assist ongoing investigations," the statement noted.

The court remanded Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng into Police custody to reappear on August 6, while Sally Akosua Amoasah was granted bail as investigations continue.