‘Journalist’ In Court Over Alleged GH¢1.7m Extortion Charge

Court Gavel

The Dansoman Circuit Court has granted bail of GH¢3.8 million to two men. They are charged with attempting to extort money from Dr. Mohammed Sani Abdulai. He is a Programme Director of a public financial project.

The accused are Nigel Cedrick Bailey, 52, and Yahaya Alhassan Galadima, 48. Bailey is a building contractor, while Galadima claims to be an activist. They face two charges: conspiracy to commit extortion and attempted extortion.

Both men pleaded not guilty before Her Honour Halimah. She granted each bail of GH¢1.8 million with three sureties. One surety must provide title deeds worth the bail amount.

The accused must also deposit their Ghana Cards with the court registry. They are required to report to the police every two weeks.

Due to the high financial implications of the case, it exceeds the prosecution’s jurisdiction. Therefore, it has been referred to the Attorney General’s Department for legal advice. The court will reconvene on May 28, 2025.

Background of the Case

Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder leads the prosecution in this case. Dr. Abdulai contracted Bailey in November 2023 to build a house in Accra.

Midway through construction, Bailey allegedly neglected his duties. This prompted Dr. Abdulai to raise concerns with the site foreman.

Bailey reportedly abandoned the project and recruited Galadima for help. Galadima posed as a journalist and tried to extort GH¢1.7 million from Dr. Abdulai.

He threatened to damage Dr. Abdulai’s reputation through media publications if payment was not made. Galadima sent two letters demanding payment under “Ghana Eye” letterhead.

After unsuccessful attempts at resolution through legal counsel, Dr. Abdulai reported the incident to police.

On February 5, 2025, he arranged a meeting at Lancaster Hotel under false pretenses of making payment.
Police arrested both suspects during this meeting, leading to their prosecution.