For allegedly defrauding 400 women petty traders of GH�40,000 a pastor has found himself at the wrong side of the law. Pastor Joel Aaron-King, of Christ Kingdom Mission who doubles as director of the World Business Centre, a �susu� company, was yesterday remanded in prison custody by an Accra Circuit Court until September 25.
He has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretences.
He pleaded guilty to defrauding by false pretences but told the court, presided over by Mr Joseph Abanga, that the amount was not up to the GH�40,000. He, however, could not tell the court the amount involved.
Two others in the dock with the pastor � Edward Mensah Fio, cashier 26 and Samuel Bortey, 29, auditor of the company � were granted bail in the sum of GH�20,000 with one surety each.
Prosecuting, Inspector Jubiok Michaels told the court that Pastor Aaron-King, owner of the �susu� company located at Teshie, approached the complainants between January and August, this year at their various selling points and sensitized them to his business.
Inspector Michaels said Pastor Aaron-King explained that if they were able to save between GH�1 and GH�5 with his company, he could secure a loan from Barclays Bank for them to expand their businesses.
With that assurance, the complainants got interested and contributed various sums of money amounting to GH�40,000 into the account of the company.
He said the accused person told the complainants that the bank was processing the loans to be ready last August but when the time elapsed without hearing from him they went to his office only to discover that the place had been locked up.
He said the traders suspected foul play so they arrested Fio and Bortey and took them to the Nungua police station. Inspector Michaels said, Pastor Aaron-King was later arrested and handed over to the Teshie Police. In their caution statements, Fio and Bortey claimed that, they handed over all the money to Pastor Aaron King. Inspector Michaels said Pastor Aaron-King also said he gave GH�7,800 to Ben Quayenor, General Manager of the company.
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