The Dansoman Circuit Court has granted bail to a 42-year-old unemployed man, Dennis Torku, who is facing charges for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH¢143,000 under the pretense of securing him a Canadian visa.
Torku, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretense, was arraigned before the court, presided over by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit. He is being prosecuted under Section 131(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The court granted him bail in the sum of GH¢150,000, with three sureties. The sureties must be public servants earning at least GH¢2,000 and residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
As part of his bail conditions, Torku is required to deposit his Ghana Card at the court registry and report to the police station every two weeks until further notice.
The case is expected to continue as investigations progress.
Brief fact
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, told the court that the complainant, Emmanuel Martey, is a businessman residing in Dansoman, Accra, while the accused, Dennis Torku, lives in Asokore in the Ashanti Region.
In 2024, Martey, eager to travel abroad for better opportunities, approached Torku, who posed as a travel agent promising to secure him a Canadian visa. Torku allegedly convinced Martey to pay GH¢143,000 for processing and documentation.
After receiving the money, Torku went into hiding, prompting Martey to report the matter to the police. Following investigations, police arrested him at Darkuman Lorry Station on February 24, 2025, at approximately 5:25 pm.
During interrogation, Torku admitted to taking money from Martey but claimed he received only GH¢80,000.
He further stated that he handed the money over to a “connection man”, who later disappeared after failing to secure the visa. When pressed, Torku failed to assist police in locating the alleged middleman.
After investigations, he was formally charged and brought before the court. The case management conference (CMC) is scheduled to commence on March 23, 2025.
