The Gbese District Court has discharged Abu Trica and two other accused persons after the State indicated that investigations had concluded and found no basis to continue proceedings against them.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor, counsel for Abu Trica, confirmed the development on Tuesday, noting that officers from the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) attempted to rearrest the accused inside the courtroom immediately after the discharge—a move that reportedly offended the presiding judge.
Abu Trica has since been taken back to NACOC headquarters for further procedures, which the lawyer believes are administrative.
The two other accused, Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo, who were arraigned as alleged accessories under an extradition charge sheet, were also discharged after prosecutors stated that investigations did not support further prosecution.
Despite the discharge, Abu Trica remains implicated in a separate international case. He is named in a U.S. indictment accusing him of defrauding elderly victims of more than US$8 million through romance scams.
According to the unsealed indictment, Abu Trica, 31, from Swedru, is alleged to have been part of a criminal network operating since 2023, which targeted elderly individuals across the United States.
The group reportedly used artificial intelligence software to create false identities and build emotional relationships with victims via social media and online dating platforms.
Arrested in Ghana on December 11, 2025, Abu Trica faces charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and a forfeiture specification. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
