Over a span of 10 months, a 50-year old woman allegedly succeeded in duping 250 persons, including 25 men, of more than 4.3 billion cedis under the guise of repaying them later at 100 percent interest rate out if her Susu Scheme at Apam. Ekua Kakra reportedly deluded her 250 victims, made up of 10 groups into believing that by contributing 100,000 cedis each into her Susu Scheme every month, they would rake in 100 per cent interest of repayment. She however went under ground after receiving a total of 4,389,000,000 only to resurface four years later to be arrested. On her eventual appearance before the Agona Swedru Circuit Court on 10 counts of "defrauding by false pretences", Kakra pleaded not guilty, prompting the judge trail judge, C.A Wilson to remand her in prison custody to reappear on April 20. The prosecution had it that the complainants (leaders of the 20 groups) are fish mongers, traders and citizens of Apam while Kakra is also a citizen and resident of the same town. About five years ago, Kakra introduced herself to the complainants as a Susu scheme broker and that any amount each person contributed would attract 100 per cent interest. DSP Raymond A. Martey, prosecuting stated that Kakra advised her unsuspecting victims to form groups and pay the monies until they qualified for loans and they obliged. And within 10 months each of the 10 groups paid between 6 million cedis and 900 million to Kakra. The prosecution identified the leaders of the 10 groups as Aba Afenyiwaa, Adwoa Kakra, Maame Sarah, Efua Tawiah and Ama Ankawana. The rest were Kobina Atta, Ama Ngiresi, Ekua Baabi, Ekua Ayaaba and Ama Enyinnda. DSP Martey noted that the groups’ contributions swelled up to 4,389,000,000 which Kakra collected, made use of part of it and bolted. Four years later (on November 28, last year) however, Kakra resurfaced at Apam. Her victims on spotting her grabbed her and handed her over to the Apam police who prosecuted her before the Apam District Magistrate Court. She pleaded guilty there but the presiding magistrate remitted the case to the Swedru Circuit Court. Source: The Mirror