Businesswoman in court over alleged police assault and theft‎

A 31-year-old businesswoman, Francisca Elikem Fudji, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly assaulting a police officer and stealing her former employer's property.

Fudji, who denied the charges, is alleged to have incited some persons, now at large, to molest, assault and obstruct a police officer from performing his lawful duty.

Chief Inspector Clemence Takyi, prosecuting, told the Court that the complainant, Jerry Owusu-Brempong, a businessman residing in Accra, employed Fudji in June 2024 to manage his shop, bar and salon at Lapaz, Accra.

The Prosecution said the businesses had operated since 2020 and were previously managed by the complainant.

It said Owusu-Brempong paid Fudji GH¢1,300 monthly and instructed her to pay the other workers and deposit the remaining money into an account while he travelled out of the jurisdiction.

The Prosecution said Owusu-Brempong returned to Ghana in June 2026 and discovered that Fudji had failed to render accounts and had declined to make payments into his accounts as instructed.

It said the tenancy agreements for the three businesses expired in December 2025, prompting Owusu-Brempong to decide not to renew them and to hand the premises back to the landlord.

The Prosecution said when Owusu-Brempong attempted to remove his belongings from the shops, Fudji prevented him and threatened that she would use “her boys” to kidnap him if he attempted to remove his belongings.

Owusu-Brempong subsequently reported the matter to the Accra Regional Criminal Investigations Department for assistance to retrieve his property from the shops.

During investigations, police personnel were assigned to take an inventory of the complainant's items at the shops on August 12, 2026.

The Prosecution said on August 19, 2026, while the police were supervising the removal of Owusu-Brempong’s items, Fudji called some unknown persons to the scene, who allegedly prevented the police officer from performing his lawful duty.

The persons also allegedly attacked, assaulted and obstructed the police officer.

The Prosecution said Fudji and the unknown persons demanded GH¢5,000 from Owusu-Brempong.

It said the persons seized the complainant's property while the police retreated.

The items they allegedly took included a 75-inch Samsung television, a double-door refrigerator, a counter table, a three-in-one sofa chair, two shelves, 29 chairs, nine bar tables and eight plastic chairs.

The Prosecution said when Fudji was invited to the police station on August 24, 2026, she claimed ownership of the items and said she had moved them to an unknown location.

The Court admitted Fudji to bail in the sum of GH¢200,000.00 with three sureties, who must be gainfully employed.

GNA