Kwasi Frimpong, a 29-year-old man who managed to swindle a hairdresser�s apprentice of GH�100 after claiming to possess the powers of a dwarf, is in the grip of the law.
The accused person and his accomplice, Frank Naro (currently at large), on November 21, 2009 at about 9:00 am at Bongobiri, a suburb of Obuasi, solicited for help from one Vida Mensah, the complainant in the case.
The accused was remanded into prison custody by a Circuit Court in Obuasi after pleading not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and stealing, contrary to sections 23 and 124(1) of Act 29/60 as amended by paragraph 4 of NLCD398/69 respectively.
He is expected to re-appear on December 8, 2009 to face prosecution.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Mohammed Agumah told the court presided over by Gilbert Ayisi Addo that on November 21 2009, the complainant, who stays at Mensakrom, in Obuasi, was on her way back home from the Len Clay Stadium junction when she met the accused and his accomplice.
He continued that the duo begged the complainant to dash them some money, to which she obliged, handing them 10Gp. At this point the accused person, who claimed to possess the powers of a dwarf, put the 10Gp back into the complainant�s palm and began to recite some incantation.
According to prosecution, Frimpong played a fast trick on the complainant, leading to the disappearance and reappearance of the 10Gp coin.The accused requested then that the complainant stay still and bring out all the monies in her purse for prayers to be said on them to prevent it from being stolen, Chief Inspector Agumah added.
He narrated further that the accused person snatched the complainant�s purse and took GH�100 when she refused to hand it over to them.
The prosecution said the accused person then put three stones into the purse of the complainant and passed the money he had wrapped in a black polythene bag to his accomplice whilst the complainant was looking for three more stones from the ground.
Afterward, Frimpong stuffed the complainant�s purse with pieces of papers also wrapped in black polythene before giving it back to the complainant, warning her not to open it till she reached home.
The police prosecutor indicated that the complainant, who suspected foul play, quickly opened the purse and found to her dismay that her money was gone.
She immediately raised an alarm which attracted onlookers to the scene, but not before the twosome had taken to their heels. Frimpong was arrested after a chase although his accomplice Frank Naro managed to escape arrest. Prosecution concluded that the mob later handed over Frimpong to the police, and after investigations he was charged and arraigned thereof.
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