Court turns down bail for alleged romance scam pastor

An Accra Circuit Court has once again denied bail to an online pastor accused of running a romance scam scheme involving seven individuals. Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, 35, and his wife Sally Akosua Amoasah, a chartered accountant, face six counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretenses. Inspector Frank Morgan Dorvi, the prosecution's lead attorney, argued that Kwarteng is a flight risk and that ongoing investigations necessitated his continued detention.

Kwarteng faces additional charges of defrauding by false pretenses, resisting arrest, and possession of obscene material, while Sally faces an additional charge of producing and possessing obscene material. Despite the allegations, both defendants deny the charges. In a separate development, the court ordered Sally to pay GH¢100,000 in bail with two sureties and to report to the case investigator every Monday and Friday.

The prosecution alleged that Kwarteng, who runs an Instagram page with 21,000 followers, posed as a pastor and contacted several complainants online, promising marriage and financial gain. He allegedly collected thousands of dollars from each complainant, threatened or blackmailed them with intimate recordings, and went into hiding after becoming aware of the investigation.