Two persons, who allegedly collected GH¢ 1.7 million from a businessman under the pretext of selling old schnapp bottles containing mercury to him, have appeared before the Adentan Circuit Court in Accra.
Prince Kyei Bennett, a 48-year-old businessman, and Samuel Nutsugah, 58- year-old unemployed, have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime namely, defrauding by false pretenses.
The accused denied the charges preferred against them.
The court presided over by Sedinam Awo Balokah, admitted the accused to GH¢ 2 million bail each and three sureties each.
The matter has been adjourned to October 18 for case management conference.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, said Eric Coffie, the complainant, resided at Kumasi, while Bennett and Nutsugah, resided at Adjin Kotoku and Kumasi respectively.
In April 2017, the prosecution said Nutsugah approached the complainant and said he could help complainant buy old schnapps bottles made with Mercury.
Chief Insp Lanyo, said Nutsugah, introduced Bennett to the complainant as his business partner.
Prosecution said Nutsugah informed the complainant that he had secured the bottles, and the complainant met the two accused.
The court heard that Bennett informed the complainant that the Mercury in the said bottle was scanty so they needed to perform rituals to increase the quantity.
Chief Insp Lanyo said Nutsugah told the complainant that if he was able to assist with spiritual cleaning to increase the mercury, he would take $5 million and a four-bedroom house.
The court heard that accused collected various sums of money amounting to GH¢ 1.7 million from the complainant.
Chief Insp Lanyo said later accused brought bags claiming they contained money and that they had sold the schnapps bottles to a spiritualist.
He said accused informed the complainant that he could use the monies in the bags after a spiritual exercise had been conducted.
Chief Insp Lanyo said the complainant took the bags containing the money to a hotel at Ajiringanor, for safe keeping.
He said accused demanded additional money for purification of the money so the complainant could use same.
Chief Insp Lanyo said accused subjected the complainant to a number of purification rites and compelled him to buy a white dove, two rams and other items.
He said accused informed the complainant that because he did not provide a white dove, the purification was unsuccessful.
Chief Insp Lanyo said accused told the complainant not to touch the money in the bags else he would die.
He said information got to the Police and they retrieved the bags at the said hotel at Adjiringanor.
