Pastor, another in court over GH¢700K gold fraud

Erasmus Billow, a pastor, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly abetting a mason to defraud a driver of GH¢700,000. 

Billow, with the Increased Ministry, and Joshua Adamptey are alleged to have collected the amount under the pretext of supplying the complainant with a quantity of gold, but did not deliver. 

Billow has been charged with abetment of crime, while his accomplice, Adamptey, is facing a charge of defrauding by false pretences. 

Another accomplice, whose name was given as Albert, is said to be at large. 

Billow and Adamptey have denied the charges, and the court has admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 each with two sureties. 

The accused persons are to justify their bail with a title deed in the name of the sureties. 

The Court, presided over by Mrs Susana Edufful, has adjourned the matter to October 14, 2025. 

Chief Inspector Godwin Wemegah and Inspector Clement J. Acquah, prosecutors in the case, said the complainant, Yarkeeni Iddrisu, is a driver and resident of Accra. 

Prosecution said the complainant and Billow used to be very good friends. 

In August 2024, Billow approached the complainant and informed him that his friend, Adamptey, a resident of Somanya, and one Albert, now at large, had inherited a quantity of gold from their mother. 

Prosecution said Billow then claimed to have personally visited Adamptey and Albert at their home at Somanya to see the gold. 

Based on that, Billow convinced the complainant to assist financially in purifying the so-called gold using oil and other materials. 

The court heard that the complainant, who trusted the accused persons, borrowed money and sold his personal car, raising a total of GH¢700,000, which he gave to the accused persons periodically. 

After receiving the money, the accused persons told the complainant that the final spiritual pacification was needed before he could access the gold. 

“They then arranged for the complainant to perform the spiritual bath at a riverbank in Somanya,” the prosecution said. 

During the alleged spiritual bathing, a gang believed to have been arranged with the accused persons, suddenly emerged from a nearby bush and attacked the complainant and subjected him to severe beating. 

Prosecution said the alleged thugs robbed the complainant of GH¢6,000 cash, which was in his pocket, after pulling a pair of scissors on him. 

The thugs took away the complainant‘s phone and transferred GH¢11,000 to their phones under the watch of the accused persons, the prosecution said. 

On August 15, 2025, the matter was reported to the police at Baatsona and Billow was arrested and later granted police enquiry bail. 

On September 6, 2025, Adamptey was arrested at his hideout in Somanya. 

In Adamptey’s caution statement, he admitted receiving monies from the complainant and Billow, but he could not remember all the monies except GH¢200,000, which he sent to his spiritual father at Benin.