Raymond Ofomala, a 36-year-old businessman, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court, facing charges of defrauding a Finnish retiree, Marianne Kertain Elisabet Westerholm, of GH¢204,115.21. Ofomala allegedly posed as a lawyer and prosecutor who could recover Westerholm’s funds lost to a romance scam, but instead defrauded her.
Ofomala was charged with defrauding by false pretenses and obtaining an electronic payment medium falsely. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Presiding Judge Isaac Addo granted him bail at GH¢250,000 with two sureties and ordered him to deposit his passport at the court registry. Ofomala is scheduled to reappear on May 20, 2025.
According to Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, the complainant, Westerholm, had lost $102,500 between 2019 and 2022 to a romance scam. In March 2024, Ofomala allegedly emailed Westerholm, posing as Frank Owusu. He claimed that several Ghanaians and Nigerians, including one Eric Yaw Nartey, had been arrested for defrauding elderly women online. Ofomala also introduced himself as “the State prosecutor” and assured Westerholm that he was working on confiscating Nartey’s assets to reimburse her.
The prosecution states that Westerholm, convinced by Ofomala’s false representation, provided the requested personal details. Ofomala then demanded money to facilitate the reimbursement process. Between July 30 and August 22, 2024, he allegedly collected GH¢204,115.24 through two personal MTN mobile money accounts and an MTN merchant number.
However, Ofomala’s repeated financial demands raised suspicions, leading Westerholm to stop responding and eventually report the matter to the police. During questioning, Ofomala confessed to the crime, claiming that his Nigerian associate, Godwin, introduced him to Westerholm.
Investigations revealed that Godwin had previously defrauded Westerholm using the alias “Albert Lambert,” posing as a doctor on a special mission in Yemen. This scam had resulted in Westerholm losing $102,500. Additionally, the police impounded a Toyota Vitz with registration number GS 743-22, which they suspect was purchased with proceeds from the fraud.
The case continues to unfold as Ofomala awaits his next court appearance.
