Kumasi, March 12, GNA - Charles Oppong, believed to be the leader of a visa racketeering syndicate operating in Accra and Kumasi, has been remanded by a circuit court at Kumasi for allegedly duping one Opoku Obeng of 8,716 dollars under the pretext of acquiring a US visa for him. Oppong pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretence and would re-appear on March 18.

Police Chief Inspector Margaret Damalie told the court that Oppong and two others whose names were only given as Richard and Owusu now at large, between 2002 and 2003, succeeded in defrauding several traders of their monies under the guise of acquiring for them US and German visas.

She said the strategy adopted by the syndicate was that Owusu always posed as a business tycoon and would approach unsuspecting victims and tell them that he had some business partners who could help them travel to the US and Europe.

She said after managing to collect the particulars of the victims, Owusu would inform Oppong and Richard who were based in Accra and they in turn would invite them on telephone to a meeting in Accra. In Accra, Chief Inspector Damalie said, the suspects would dupe their victims of their monies and bolt away leaving them stranded.

She said in January, this year, Owusu approached Obeng at Bantama in Kumasi and used the same trick on him.

Obeng, according to the prosecution, was directed to meet Oppong in Accra where he was made to part with 8,716 dollars for the processing of his travelling documents.

Thereafter, Oppong went into hiding but was later arrested by the police.

Chief Inspector Damalie said during interrogation, the suspect admitted taking the money but said it was 5,000 dollars and not 8,716 dollars.

In a related development, the court also remanded Richard Appiah, 25, who also attempted to swindle one Adolph Owusu of his 2,500 dollars under the pretext of helping him to win a German visa lottery.