What was meant to be a joyous wedding day for 28-year-old Samuel Issah Abdulai turned into a nightmare when police stormed the ceremony and arrested him over an alleged visa fraud scheme worth GH₵352,000.
Abdulai, a driver from Nkawie in the Ashanti Region, is accused of defrauding three individuals under the pretext of securing electronic visas to Mongolia, Georgia, Albania, and Malaysia.
He allegedly collected various sums of money, including GH₵250,000 from a single complainant who gathered funds from eleven others.
Charged with three counts of defrauding by false pretenses and document forgery, Abdulai pleaded not guilty before an Accra Circuit Court.
Presiding Judge Samuel Bright Acquah granted him bail at GH₵150,000 with three sureties, one to be justified. He must also report to the police every two weeks.
According to the prosecution, Abdulai and an accomplice, identified as Antwi, used online advertisements between September and December 2024 to lure victims seeking job opportunities abroad.
Claiming to be in Belarus at the time, Abdulai convinced the victims of his ability to secure visas, only to disappear after receiving payments via mobile money.
In December 2024, he resurfaced, sending what he claimed were electronic visas via WhatsApp.
However, checks by the Immigration DFEC Unit confirmed the visas were fake.
Determined to recover their losses, the victims tracked him down—on his wedding day. In a dramatic twist, they stormed the ceremony at Nkawie, leading to his arrest and transfer to Teshie police.
The case is ongoing, with the court set to hear further proceedings.