The Gbese District Court, presided over by Her Worship Mrs. Anna Akosua Appiah Anafi Gyasi, has remanded Abu Trica, known in private life as Frederick Kumi, together with Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo, following their appearance before the court on Tuesday.
The three suspects were brought before the court in connection with an ongoing process that could lead to their extradition to the United States of America.
Abu Trica is alleged to have played a key role in a romance fraud scheme amounting to about US$8 million.
No formal charges have so far been preferred against the suspects.
Counsel for Abu Trica and Bernard Aidoo, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, raised preliminary legal objections, challenging the jurisdiction of the District Court to entertain the matter.
He argued that the appropriate court to hear such issues is the Circuit Court and not a District Magistrate Court.
Mr. Barker-Vormawor, together with counsel for Lord Eshun, further urged the court to discharge Lord Eshun and Bernard AidooBernard Aidoo, insisting that their names were not captured on the arrest warrant that led to the apprehension of Abu Trica.
According to the defence, the warrant listed only Frederick Kumi and one Daniel Ussif as persons of interest.
The defence also contended that there were no formal charges such as conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretence, or money laundering against the suspects.
They maintained that the processes before the court were civil in nature and not supported by a proper charge sheet, thereby rendering the proceedings defective.
The Republic, represented by Principal State Attorney (PSA) Ernest Appiah, opposed the objections, arguing that the District Court was properly clothed with jurisdiction to hear and determine the legal issues raised.
He submitted that Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo were criminal accessories and were therefore liable to surrender to the United States as part of the extradition process.
In her ruling, the magistrate dismissed the jurisdictional objection, holding that every court has the authority to hear legal objections brought before it.
She also overruled the application seeking the discharge of Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo, stating that the absence of charges alone was not sufficient grounds for their release.
Instead, the court directed the Ministry of the Interior to provide reasons for the arrest of Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo within five weeks.
Subsequently, defence counsels applied for bail for Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo, but the application was strongly opposed by the prosecution.
PSA Appiah argued that the case had international implications and that there had been no unreasonable delay by the Republic.
He warned that granting bail could result in the suspects absconding.
In remanding the suspects, the court cited the gravity of the allegations, the potential punishment if found guilty, the circumstances surrounding their arrest, and the high public interest in the case.
The magistrate noted that there was a real risk the suspects might not make themselves available for trial if released.
Meanwhile, the court premises were heavily guarded by armed security personnel as friends and sympathisers of the suspects thonged the courtroom.
During a brief stand-down of proceedings, the suspects were seen exchanging glances with their loved ones, with one of them blowing kisses toward a woman seated in the courtroom.
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The post Abu Trica, Two Others Remanded Over Alleged $8m Romance Fraud appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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