Ghana AG: Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng Scam Case Consolidation Moves to High Court

• The Attorney-General’s Department is consolidating two separate romance scam cases against Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng and transferring them to the High Court.
• Kwarteng, a 35-year-old entrepreneur, and his wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, a Chartered Accountant, face six counts of conspiracy to commit defrauding by false pretences, among other charges.
• Kwarteng allegedly used an Instagram pastor persona to defraud seven complainants, including an ambassador and businesswomen, by promising marriage and soliciting funds for a fictitious car-tyre business.
• He is accused of collecting sums including $33,000, GH¢25,000, $4,000, and GH¢22,000, and later blackmailing victims with intimate videos.
• Sally Akosua Amoasah has been granted bail of GH¢100,000 with two sureties and is required to report to investigators twice weekly.

Lawyers and legal professionals should closely monitor the outcome of this prosecution for potential precedents regarding evidence admissibility, jurisdictional considerations, and sentencing guidelines in digital romance scams and cybercrime prosecution Ghana.

The Attorney-General’s Department in Ghana has initiated a significant procedural move to consolidate two distinct criminal cases against Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, an entrepreneur accused of orchestrating elaborate online romance scams. These cases, originally pending before Accra Circuit Courts One and 10, remain before the Accra Circuit Court, with the Attorney-General’s Department having initiated steps for their consolidation and transfer to the High Court. This strategic consolidation aims to streamline the prosecution of Kwarteng, who is a 35-year-old self-styled online pastor, and his wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, a Chartered Accountant.

Both Kwarteng and Amoasah are jointly facing six counts of conspiracy to commit crime, specifically defrauding by false pretences. In addition to these joint charges, Kwarteng faces further individual accusations of defrauding by false pretences, resisting arrest, and making, producing, and possessing obscene material. His wife, Sally, is also separately charged with making, producing, and possessing obscene material. Both accused individuals have entered pleas of not guilty to all charges.

According to the prosecution's amended facts, Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng allegedly operated an Instagram page under his name, "Nana Bonsu Kwarteng," which boasted approximately 21,000 followers. Through this platform, he presented himself as a pastor and conducted online services. His wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, reportedly participated in these services by displaying Scripture verses on screen and reading from the Bible, and is alleged to have been aware of her husband’s illicit activities.

The alleged scheme involved Kwarteng initiating contact with Instagram followers, including an ambassador and several businesswomen who became the seven complainants in the case. For instance, in October 2024, he began communicating with the first complainant, proposing friendship and later claiming a divine revelation that she was destined to be his wife, subsequently promising marriage. He reportedly visited her family in Nigeria and then informed her of his involvement in a lucrative car-tyre business. Kwarteng then allegedly demanded and received $33,000 from this woman, purportedly to clear a container of tyres incurring demurrage charges, assuring her of a refund despite knowing she had borrowed the sum from a business associate. When repayment became due, Kwarteng reportedly evaded her and later threatened to publish nude videos of her, some of which he allegedly shared with Sally. A similar pattern was reportedly employed with the other six complainants, involving marriage proposals, family visits, and collecting various sums of money under the pretext of clearing car tyres, including GH¢25,000 from the second complainant and an additional $4,000, GH¢22,000, and other foreign currencies from others. The prosecution further alleges that Kwarteng secretly recorded intimate photographs and videos of some victims, using them for blackmail when they sought refunds.

The decision by the Attorney-General’s Department to consolidate the Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng scam case and transfer it to the High Court signifies a strategic approach to handling complex criminal matters. During a recent hearing at Accra Circuit Court One, a representative from the Attorney-General’s Department confirmed the impending consolidation and transfer. The Police have also submitted their disclosures, a crucial step in preparation for a case management conference, which the Accra Circuit Court adjourned to September 8, 2026.

Meanwhile, Sally Akosua Amoasah has been granted bail in the amount of GH¢100,000, requiring two sureties. As part of her bail conditions, she is mandated to report to the case investigator every Monday and Friday. The prosecution further detailed that when the complainants began pursuing the accused individuals, Kwarteng deactivated his Instagram page, while Sally changed hers. Both reportedly went into hiding after being declared wanted by the Police and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

The consolidation of the Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng scam case and its elevation to the High Court underscores the Ghanaian Attorney-General's evolving strategy for prosecuting intricate online fraud cases that involve multiple victims and a spectrum of charges. This move offers valuable insights into the prosecutorial approaches being adopted for high-profile cybercrime matters within the High Court system in Ghana. The case, involving allegations of Ghana online pastor romance fraud and defrauding by false pretences, highlights the increasing sophistication of digital scams and the challenges they pose to law enforcement.

Lawyers and legal professionals should closely monitor the outcome of this prosecution for potential precedents regarding evidence admissibility, jurisdictional considerations, and sentencing guidelines in digital romance scams and cybercrime prosecution Ghana. The handling of Sally Akosua Amoasah's charges and her alleged involvement also provides a lens into how complicity in such schemes is addressed.

This case highlights the Ghanaian Attorney-General's strategy for consolidating complex online fraud cases involving multiple victims and charges, offering insights into prosecutorial approaches and the procedural handling of high-profile cybercrime matters in the High Court. Lawyers should monitor the outcome for precedents on evidence, jurisdiction, and sentencing in digital romance scams.

Source: Original reporting via GNA.