A 62-year-old self-proclaimed businesswoman, Nana Ama Nwurueze, has been remanded into custody for two weeks by the Adabraka District Court, presided over by Abena Asoh Owusu-Omenyo, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

She is accused of defrauding another businesswoman, Dorothy Asare, of $13,000 under false pretenses.

Nwurueze allegedly posed as a wealthy business mogul, claiming ownership of valuable assets, including Ohemaa Plaza in East Legon, fishing vessels in Takoradi, and a house in Airport Residential Area.

She also told Asare that she owned over 10 containers of goods at the Takoradi port, promising to clear them and refund $5,000 within three weeks if Asare provided the funds.

To further convince her, Nwurueze claimed to have a partnership with Devtracco and even showed Asare a construction site, assuring her it would yield significant profits.

Based on these claims, Asare handed over $5,000 in cash at Nwurueze’s residence in Airport.

A month later, Nwurueze requested an additional $8,000, citing issues at the port, and promised repayment within two weeks.

According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Apewa Achana, Asare complied, bringing the total amount to $13,000.

When three weeks passed without repayment, Asare attempted to retrieve her money but was met with excuses.

Eventually, she lost all contact with Nwurueze and later discovered that the Airport property did not belong to her, nor was she affiliated with Devtracco. By then, Nwurueze had relocated without a trace.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Apewa Achana, charged Nwurueze with one count of defrauding by false pretenses under Section 131(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

Investigations revealed that her claims were false and that she had no containers at any Ghanaian port. She was arrested on March 14, 2024, following a bench warrant issued in December 2024 after multiple failed attempts to apprehend her.

Appearing in court, Nwurueze pleaded not guilty. Her counsel, George Asamani, sought bail, arguing that she had been unwell and had no intent to evade justice, promising her attendance at trial. He also noted that she had been hospitalized while in custody.

However, Chief Inspector Achana opposed bail, citing Nwurueze’s history of evading authorities.

He revealed that the case began in 2021 at the Airport Police Station, but after being granted police inquiry bail, she went into hiding.

The medical excuses she provided were deemed fake, and her frequent short-term rentals suggested she was a flight risk. The court denied bail, ruling that she posed a significant risk of absconding.

The case has been adjourned to April 8, 2025, for further proceedings.

GA/MA