Two persons were brought before an Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday for defrauding a businesswoman of 6,000 dollars with the promise of sending her mother and brother on the Hajj.
Sallah Mohammed Sheriff, 42, an agent and Hajia Ollas Asuna, a trader, pleaded not guilty and the court admitted them to bail of GH¢20,000 with three sureties each to be justified.
The court, presided over by Mr. D.E.K. Daketsey adjourned the case to June 17 for hearing.
According to the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agyemang, in November 2008, Ms Jumia Amadu wanted to take her mother and brother to Mecca.
She met Sheriff who assured Ms. Amadu he could help her and therefore demanded 6,200 dollars as the fee.
He said Ms Amadu raised 5,900 dollars and handed it over to Sheriff who asked her to tell her mother and brother to prepare for the pilgrimage.
However, he failed to fly them to Mecca and went into hiding when Ms Amadu requested a refund of her money.
A report was made to the police by Ms Amadu and Sheriff was arrested.
In his statement Sheriff admitted the offence and said she paid 4,600 dollars to Hajia Asuna who informed him that she had someone who claimed he was with the Hajj Board and could easily assist the pilgrims.
ASP Agyemang said Hajia Asuna was immediately arrested and she admitted collecting the amount mentioned by Sheriff and claimed she paid 4,600 dollars to a third person now at large who introduced himself as an agent of the Hajj Board.