Accra: The Ghana Police Service has arrested a self-acclaimed pastor for allegedly defrauding women through romance scams involving false promises of marriage, blackmail, and other fraudulent schemes. The suspect, Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, is accused of defrauding women through false marriage promises and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
According to Ghana News Agency, a police statement disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that Kwarteng posed as a pastor conducting online church services on Instagram, where he targeted women and claimed that God had revealed they were his future wives. The statement further detailed how he allegedly gained the trust of the victims by meeting their families and presenting them with promise rings.
The suspect reportedly obtained intimate images of some victims and allegedly used them to blackmail the women into paying money. Additionally, Kwarteng introduced some victims to a fictitious car tyre business, collecting thousands of dollars under the pretext of shipping and clearing containers of tyres, after which he became unreachable.
Further investigations revealed that Kwarteng allegedly shared the intimate images of some victims with his wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, who is also accused of threatening the victims. The police statement noted that seven victims had so far reported the matter, with investigations indicating that the alleged offences dated back to 2021.
Kwarteng and Amoasah have been arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court One on charges of conspiracy to commit crime, namely defrauding by false pretences, defrauding by false pretences, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images. The court remanded Kwarteng into police custody to reappear on August 6, while Amoasah was granted bail.
The Ghana Police Service continues to receive complaints from other possible victims and has urged anyone who might have experienced similar incidents involving the suspect to report to the nearest police station to assist ongoing investigations.