“Powder Guy” denies $32,000 visa fraud
Ibrahim Kailani Kpa, alias “Powder Guy”, a social media influencer, has denied charges of defrauding seven persons of $32,000 under the pretext of securing visas for them.
Kpa, who is also a tiler and resident of Oyarifa-Teiman in Accra, is alleged to have collected various sums from the complainants to facilitate their travel to Nicaragua, Canada and the United States of America, but failed to secure the visas.
When he appeared before an Accra Circuit Court, his counsel prayed for bail.
The prosecution, however, vehemently opposed the application, arguing that investigations were ongoing.
The Court, after hearing both sides, admitted Kpa to bail in the sum of GH¢400,000 with three sureties.
It directed that one of the sureties should be a family member, while the other two were required to furnish the Registrar of the Court with photocopies of their Ghana Cards and passport photographs.
The Court also ordered the accused to report to the case investigator as directed.
The prosecution said the complainants were Dramani Iddris and six others.
The facts before the Court were that between 2023 and 2026, Kpa advertised on his social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Facebook, his ability to secure visas for persons interested in travelling to Nicaragua, Canada and the United States in search of greener pastures.
He also advertised several slots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was held in Canada, Mexico and the United States, at what he described as affordable rates.
The complainants, having been convinced by the representations made by Kpa on social media, contacted him individually and at different times at his business centre at Botwe, a suburb of Accra.
The complainants subsequently paid various amounts ranging from $2,000 to $9,000, totalling $32,000, to facilitate the acquisition of visas for their intended destinations, prosecution said.
Kpa allegedly assured them that their visas would be secured within two weeks to one month.
However, several months elapsed without the visas being secured.
The prosecution said Kpa subsequently became unreachable and blocked the complainants from communicating with him, while his whereabouts became unknown.
The complainants then reported the matter to the Police, leading to investigations and his eventual arrest at East Legon in Accra.
During investigations, the prosecution said, Kpa's caution statement was obtained, in which he admitted receiving the $32,000 from the complainants.
He allegedly told investigators that he had disbursed the money to his alleged accomplices, identified as Jalil, Chapman, and Danlad, to facilitate the acquisition of the visas.
According to the prosecution, Kpa said the agents failed to secure the visas and subsequently went into hiding.
The accused, however, failed to lead investigators to the locations of the alleged accomplices.
The Police said investigations were ongoing.