Social media influencer Ibrahim Kailani Kpa, alias “Powder Guy”, has pleaded not guilty to charges of allegedly defrauding seven persons of $32,000 under the pretext of securing visas for them.
Kpa, a tiler and resident of Oyarifa-Teiman in Accra, is alleged to have collected various sums from the complainants to facilitate their travel to Nicaragua, Canada and the United States of America but failed to secure the visas.
When he appeared before an Accra Circuit Court, his counsel prayed for bail.
The prosecution opposed the application, arguing that investigations into the case were still ongoing.
The court, after hearing both sides, admitted Kpa to bail in the sum of GH¢400,000 with three sureties.
One of the sureties is required to be a family member, while the other two have been directed to furnish the court’s Registrar with photocopies of their Ghana Cards and passport photographs.
The court also ordered the accused to report to the case investigator as directed.
The complainants have been identified as Dramani Iddris and six others.
The prosecution told the court that between 2023 and 2026, Kpa advertised on his social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Facebook, that he could secure visas for persons seeking to travel to Nicaragua, Canada and the United States in search of greener pastures.
He also advertised several slots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, at what he described as affordable rates.
According to the prosecution, the complainants were convinced by Kpa’s representations and contacted him individually and at different times at his business centre at Botwe in Accra.
They subsequently paid various amounts ranging from $2,000 to $9,000 to facilitate the acquisition of visas for their intended destinations.
The total amount paid by the seven complainants was $32,000.
The prosecution said Kpa assured the complainants that their visas would be secured within two weeks to one month.
However, several months passed without the visas being secured.
The prosecution further alleged that Kpa subsequently became unreachable and blocked the complainants from communicating with him, while his whereabouts became unknown.
The complainants then reported the matter to the Police, leading to investigations and Kpa’s eventual arrest at East Legon in Accra.
During investigations, the Police obtained a caution statement from Kpa in which he allegedly admitted receiving the $32,000 from the complainants.
According to the prosecution, Kpa told investigators that he had disbursed the money to alleged accomplices identified as Jalil, Chapman and Danlad to facilitate the acquisition of the visas.
The accused allegedly told investigators that the agents failed to secure the visas and subsequently went into hiding.
The prosecution said Kpa, however, failed to lead investigators to the locations of the alleged accomplices.
The Police told the court that investigations were still ongoing.