The 62-year-old self-styled businesswoman accused of defrauding another businesswoman of $13,000 under various false pretences has been remanded again by the Madina District Court.

This follows the court, presided over by Abena Asoh Owusu-Omenyo, denying a bail application filed by the accused through her lawyers.

According to the court, it was not convinced that Nana Ama Nwarueze, popularly known as Ohemaa, would make herself available to stand trial if granted bail.

The judge, therefore, ordered a thorough investigation into the background of the accused after the prosecution indicated that she had no fixed place of abode.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Apewa Achana, has charged the accused with one count of defrauding by false pretence.

She was arrested after a bench warrant was issued in December last year following unsuccessful attempts to apprehend her.

Nwarueze has pleaded not guilty to the charge

Narrating the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Achana said the complainant, Dorothy Asare, was introduced to the accused through a mutual friend.

The accused allegedly portrayed herself as a wealthy businesswoman who owned several properties, including the Ohemaa Plaza at East Legon, fishing vessels in Takoradi, and a house at Airport Residential Area, in order to persuade the complainant to part with her money.

According to the prosecutor, the accused also claimed to have over 10 containers of goods at the Tema Port and requested $5,000 from the complainant to clear them, promising a refund within three weeks.

Upon realising that the complainant was not convinced, the accused, in a bid to persuade her, further claimed she was in partnership with Devtraco and showed her an ongoing apartment construction project, which she said would be leased out upon completion and generate significant income,” the prosecutor said.

Based on these representations, the complainant gave the $5,000 to the accused at her supposed residence at Airport Residential Area.

A month later, the accused contacted the complainant again, requesting an additional $8,000 to resolve an alleged issue at the port, promising to repay the full $13,000 within two weeks. The complainant complied.

However, after three weeks, the accused failed to repay the amount and began giving excuses.

Eventually, the complainant could no longer reach her and later discovered that the property at Airport Residential Area did not belong to the accused and that she had no partnership with Devtraco.

“Further, the accused had vacated the residence without leaving a trace,” Chief Inspector Achana said.

During investigations, the accused failed to prove the existence of any containers at the ports in Ghana.

The prosecution concluded that all representations were false and made solely with the intent to defraud the complainant of $13,000.