A businessman accused of defrauding a client of GH₵149,000 in a fake forex deal is now a wanted man after failing to appear before the Accra Circuit Court.
The court, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of 27-year-old Lukeman Abdul-Karim following his unexplained absence during court proceedings. The move came after prosecutors formally requested the warrant due to his failure to honour a court summons.
According to the facts presented by the prosecution, Abdul-Karim, who resides in West Hills, Accra, posed as a forex bureau operator and allegedly lured businessman Daniel Attah into handing over GH₵149,000 in exchange for CFA francs.
Despite receiving the funds in January 2025, Abdul-Karim failed to deliver the promised foreign currency, offering a series of excuses instead. The victim, after repeated failed attempts to retrieve the funds, filed a report with the police on January 25.
Abdul-Karim was initially arrested and during investigations, managed to refund only GH₵20,000 of the total amount. The remaining GH₵129,000 has not been recovered.
With the issuance of the bench warrant, law enforcement authorities are now actively seeking his arrest. The case has been adjourned to June 16, 2025, pending his appearance.
The incident adds to growing concerns about rising fraud in the informal financial exchange sector, where unsuspecting individuals are often lured by promises of quick and favourable currency deals.
