A 62-year-old woman, Nana Ama Nwarueze, also known as Ohemaa, is facing fresh remand after the Madina District Court declined her application for bail in a case involving an alleged $13,000 fraud.
Presiding judge Abena Asoh Owusu-Omenyo ruled that the accused was unlikely to present herself for trial if granted bail, especially since she was reported to have no fixed place of abode.
The court has also ordered a background investigation into her activities and living circumstances.
Nwarueze, who describes herself as a wealthy businesswoman, is accused of defrauding Dorothy Asare, another businesswoman, under false pretences.
According to prosecutors, Nwarueze posed as the owner of high-value properties, including the Ohemaa Plaza in East Legon, a residence at the Airport Residential Area, and several fishing vessels in Takoradi, in order to gain Asare’s trust.
Chief Inspector Apewa Achana, leading the prosecution, told the court that Nwarueze persuaded the complainant to give her $5,000 to supposedly clear containers of goods at the Tema Port—containers that, it turns out, never existed.
To reinforce the deception, the accused allegedly claimed to be in a partnership with real estate firm Devtraco and showed the complainant a construction site, saying she would lease the apartments for profit once completed.
Encouraged by these claims, Asare later handed over an additional $8,000 after Nwarueze said she needed the funds to resolve an issue at the port, promising repayment within two weeks. But those promises never materialised.
After several failed attempts to recover her money, Asare discovered that the accused had vanished from the Airport residence and was untraceable.
Further inquiries revealed that none of the properties or business interests Nwarueze had claimed were linked to her.
She was eventually arrested following a bench warrant issued in December last year. The accused has pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretence.
The case has been adjourned as investigations continue.
