A Ghanaian Pastor defraud 100 people and get jailed for 519 years

A Ghanaian Pastor defraud 100 people and get jailed for 519 years

An Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Evelyn Asamoah, has sentenced a Reverend Minister, Edward Buabeng, to a total of 519 years imprisonment. The conviction comes after a three-year trial in which 12 witnesses from over 100 defrauded victims testified against the accused. The Reverend was found guilty on 173 counts of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretenses.

The court heard that the complainants in the case, John Osei-Kumi and Brenda Adolphine Appiah, both residents of Dansoman Community in Accra, had invested a total of US$7,000 and US$6,000 respectively into the Reverend’s company, Career Link Marketers Company Limited, with an expected interest of 40% each for a period of three months. However, when the period elapsed in October 2018, the Reverend failed to pay the principal and interest to the complainants, despite several attempts to contact him.

The complainants subsequently lodged a complaint with the Dansoman Police Station, which led to over 100 additional complaints from other victims of the Reverend’s fraud. Police investigations revealed that a total of GH¢1,193,136 and US$185,408 had been invested into the Reverend’s company by the complainants. During the investigation, the Reverend paid a sum of GH¢115,000, which was disbursed to the complainants.

Although the company was registered with the Registrar General Department, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) had not issued it with a license to operate. The Reverend admitted to the offense in his caution statement to the police, but failed to fulfill his promise to refund the money, as the company had enough resources to do so.

The court sentenced the Reverend to 80 years imprisonment on each count, but the sentences will run concurrently. The second accused, Wilfred Brown, an Accountant, was acquitted and discharged on all charges. The third accused, Aubrey des-Bordes Mends, absconded after her plea was taken and bail was granted at the beginning of the case. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of due diligence when investing money and the need for stricter regulations and oversight of companies and individuals operating in the financial industry. It also highlights the need for individuals to be vigilant with their finances and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities. The sentence handed down to the Reverend Minister is a strong message to those who engage in fraudulent activities, that such crimes will not be tolerated and that perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.

There This Ghanaian Pastor defraud 100 people and get jailed for 519 years and his name is Reverend Minister, Edward Buabeng.