Tabloid News of Wednesday, 17 October 2001

Source: George Adika

Businessman defrauds lady of ?15m

— After failing to honour marriage promise

THE Kaneshie Police have arrested a businessman for allegedly defrauding one Juliana Attrams, a secretary in Accra, of ?15 million, 161/2 pieces of wax prints, a pair of shoes and a travelling bag containing clothings.

The businessman, Lesley Wiafe, was arrested together with his accomplice, Juliana Acheampong, a trader, who allegedly helped in the deal.

According to the police, in September, 1999, Wiafe met Juliana in Accra and proposed to marry her.

Dates were set for both the engagement and wedding ceremonies respectively.

The police said about a week to the marriage, Wiafe postponed the ceremony and collected seven half pieces of wax prints from Juliana for safe keeping.

He was also alleged to have collected ?6 million from Juliana which he claimed would be used to prepare the grounds for the ceremony.

He was further alleged to have told Juliana that his (Wiafe’s) sister had given birth in the United States of America and that he would like to send Juliana’s sister, Elizabeth Attrams, to the US to take care of the nursing mother.

Juliana showed interest in this new development and Wiafe allegedly collected additional amount of ?9 million from her to enable him to prepare the necessary documents for the trip.

Wiafe also made Juliana to part with another set of nine and a half pieces of wax prints, a travelling bag containing clothings and a pair of shoes from her sister Elizabeth.

Juliana became suspicious of Wiafe’s behaviour when he postponed the wedding ceremony again so she reported him to the police who arrested him.

According to Chief Inspector David Adrah, the Station Officer at the Kaneshie Police Station Wiafe, told the police upon interrogation that he sold the wax prints to Juliana Acheampong who was later arrested and charged with the offence.