The Accra Circuit Court has deferred sentencing of a 35-year-old spiritualist, Nana Adwoa Yamoah, who was convicted of defrauding a man of GH¢95,100 under the pretext of helping him become Chief of Ntotroso in the Ashanti Region.
The case was adjourned to April 4, 2026, after defence counsel prayed the court to allow Yamoah to change her plea, arguing that she did not fully understand the offence.
However, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Augustine Kingsley Oppong opposed the application, stating that the accused had already been convicted on her own plea. He added that a pregnancy test confirmed she was not pregnant, clearing the way for sentencing.
Presiding Judge, Mr Dennis Eyram Fumey, ruled that the court could not set aside the conviction, noting that Yamoah had pleaded guilty to all three charges. He indicated that the court would proceed to determine the sentence.
Defence counsel pleaded for leniency, citing Yamoah’s youth, her status as a first-time offender, and her responsibility as a single parent of five. They told the court she was willing to refund the money within a week and urged the court to avoid a custodial sentence.
The court subsequently remanded Yamoah into police custody pending sentencing.
Prosecution told the court that Yamoah admitted to defrauding the complainant, Mr Douglas Abu, practising without registration, and operating without a licence.
According to ASP Oppong, in 2025, Abu was introduced to Yamoah by a witness who presented her as a spiritualist. Yamoah claimed she had helped others become chiefs and promised to assist Abu, insisting she had links to the Asantehene.
She collected GH¢51,000 from him under the pretext of doubling the amount but failed to do so. She later took him to the Republic of Benin for supposed fortification rituals, which also did not materialise.
When Abu demanded a refund, Yamoah refused, leading to her arrest on March 9, 2026.
Investigations revealed that she was not registered with the Traditional Medicine Practice Council and had used similar methods to defraud others. She was subsequently arraigned and convicted.
