Woman conned out of her money

A man who allegedly promised a business woman that he could make her richer but ended up duping her of US$5,000 and GH¢1,700 is in the grips of the police.

Ibrahim Babangida, 21, unemployed, who claimed he could double the money of the businesswoman and complainant, is in police custody assisting in investi­gations to arrest other accomplices.

Chief Superintendent Peterking Gyinae, the Kaneshie Divisional Police Commander said in January, the victim heard an advertisement on a local radio station that one Nana Oscar also called "Motia Komfo" based in Agona Abodom in the Central Region is a powerful spiritualist who could help people solve business problems.

The complainant decided to contact Nana Oscar at a shrine for assistance but he in turn referred her to Ibrahim Babangida as the right person to perform that feat.

On April 16 the complainant and the husband accom­panied by Nana Oscar visited Babangida to assist them to get the money.

They met at Kasoa and Babangida demanded GH¢1,700 to buy perfume to conjure the money.

The next day, the complainant and her husband led Babangida and the other accomplices to their home at Ablekuma near Accra.

As they arrived at mid-night, the complainant gave Babangida one of the rooms in the house while the hus­band and Oscar remained in the living room.

A few minutes later, Babangida invited the couple to come to his room and witness the moneys that had been conjured in dollar denominations.

When the complainant entered the room he suspected the money to be fake as Babangida warned him not to touch it and asked Oscar rather to touch it.

Oscar, on touching the money claimed it was genuine, Babangida thereafter asked the victim to bring additional US$5,000 to be added to the conjured money to make it more. The couple agreed and gave out the US$5,000.

After collecting the US$5,000, Babangida gave the complainant a calabash covered with calico and asked her not to take off the calico but rather to buy a ram and wait until 5p.m. that day for it to be slaughtered before the cloth is uncovered to reveal the "mystery money".

The complainant bought the ram but at 5p.m when they called Babangida to come and finalise the ritual of slaughtering the sheep he started giving flimsy excuses.

After the victim had waited for sometime they decided to send the calabash to Oscar.

When the calabash was uncovered it was detected that it contained pieces of papers cut in the size of US dollar notes. The complainant, sensing he had been duped left the calabash and went to lodge a complaint with the police. Oscar was arrested and he led the police to arrest Babangida.