Two remanded over alleged GH¢800,000 spiritual fraud scheme

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded two men into police custody over an alleged scheme in which a Ghanaian living in the United States was defrauded of about GH¢800,000 under the guise of providing spiritual protection.

The accused persons are Bilyaminu Ibrahim, a media worker, and Mohammed Musah, a journalist.

Ibrahim faces a charge of conspiracy to commit the crime of defrauding by false pretence, while Musah has been charged with harbouring a criminal. Musah has denied the charge against him.

Chief Inspector Ramata Asumah told the court that the case arose after Fawuziya Issaka lodged a complaint concerning her younger sister, Tourwana Katakarauo, who resides in the United States.

According to the prosecution, the alleged scheme began in 2021 when Katakaraou Jabiru, who remains at large, became aware that Tourwana was experiencing difficulties in the United States.

Jabiru allegedly told Fawuziya that he knew a spiritualist who could help deal with the problems. Prosecutors say Ibrahim subsequently presented himself as that spiritualist.

The prosecution alleges that Ibrahim and Jabiru obtained money from Tourwana in several instalments after claiming that sacrifices and other spiritual activities were required to protect her and her mother from attacks.

They are further alleged to have told her that her late father owed an unidentified person who intended to spiritually torment her, resulting in further payments for Quran recitations and other purported spiritual interventions.

The alleged demands continued in 2023 after Tourwana’s mother suffered a stroke.

Prosecutors say Jabiru informed Ibrahim about the development and the two allegedly convinced Tourwana that someone was attempting to inflict a similar condition on her.

Additional payments were allegedly made for spiritual protection and to redirect the supposed attack back to its source. The prosecution said the pair later received further money described as appreciation for their assistance.

The dispute was eventually referred to family elders but could not be resolved, prompting a complaint to the police.

During investigations, Ibrahim allegedly admitted that he had posed as a spiritualist. Police also recovered GH¢49,000 from him, according to the prosecution.

The court heard that Jabiru fled to Togo after learning about Ibrahim’s arrest but later returned to Dodowa in September 2026, where he allegedly stayed with Ibrahim and Musah.

Police officers went to Jabiru’s residence on October 1 but found Musah there. He allegedly told officers that Jabiru had gone out.

Prosecutors say Musah subsequently sent Jabiru a message warning him not to return to the house.

Musah allegedly told investigators that he sent the message because he did not want Jabiru to be arrested.

Jabiru remains at large as police continue efforts to locate him.

The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Kunsong, remanded Ibrahim and Musah into police custody. They are expected to return to court on October 20, 2026.