Defrauding by False Pretences

A 39-year-old driver who allegedly defrauded a businessman of GH¢120,000 has been remanded into police by an Adentan Circuit Court. Paul Kwabena Duku allegedly collected the money from the businessman under the pretext of selling a Kia Rhino truck to him but failed. Charged with defrauding by false pretences, Duku in the company of his lawyer, pleaded not guilty. He is expected to reappear before the court on September 16, 2024, for bail consideration. The facts as read by Chief Inspector Anim Darko before the court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Kwadam are that the complainant in the case is Mr Francis Adebor. The accused person, the prosecution said, was a resident of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. The prosecution said in March 2024, the complainant saw a KIA Rhino truck with registration number GR 6222-24 advertised on Jiji, an online platform for sale. The Court heard that the complainant contacted the number displayed on the truck and was assured by someone that the truck was available for sale. The prosecution said the complainant requested to inspect the truck before purchasing. The complainant therefore called again, but he was given another phone number purported to be that of the owner of the truck. The prosecution said the complainant again contacted the supposed owner who also gave him the number of Duku as the one who would lead him to inspect the truck. The Court heard that Duku and two other accomplices now on the run posed as owners of the truck and they led the complainant to inspect same at a location at Ritz Junction, Madina in Accra. Prosecution said the complainant after inspecting the vehicle, expressed interest in the truck and bargained with Duku and his accomplices and arrived at the cost of GH¢120,000. The Prosecutor said Duku stood by the truck with the view of securing the vehicle while his accomplices led the complainant to a location at Pantang Hospital to meet the other accomplices for payment to be made. It said the complainant made full payment of GH¢120,000 to Duku’s accomplices who issued to him with a receipt of payment and forged documents covering the truck. The Court heard that the complainant was then directed to go for the truck with one of the accomplices at the location where Duku was waiting. The prosecution said on the way, Duku’s accomplices bolted and left the complainant behind. The prosecution said the accomplices quickly called Duku to also leave his location and he did. The Court heard that when the complainant got to the location of the truck, he realised that he had been swindled. The prosecution said Duku and his accomplices later shared the money among themselves. The complainant therefore reported the matter to the Police and investigations led to the arrest of Duku from his hideout at Agbogba, Accra. Prosecution Duku in his caution statement admitted the offence and stated that he only received GH¢2,000 out of the booty. The Prosecutor said Duku has failed to show the Police the whereabouts of his accomplices. GNA/MYJOYONLINE

A 42-year-old travel consultant accused of defrauding a nurse of GHC40,000 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. Kenneth Kyere is alleged to have collected the GHC40,000 as part payment of GHC112,000 he charged to secure a United Kingdom visa and a working permit for the nurse. Kyere is alleged to have cut communication with the complainant, Charlotte Boakye Yiadom, after collecting the part payment . Charged with defrauding by false pretenses, Kyere has pleaded not guilty. The court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo has admitted him to bail in the sum of GHC120,000 with one surety. The matter has been adjourned to September 9, 2024. The prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong said the complainant Charlotte Boakye Yiadom was a resident of Kumasi. It said Kyere was also Chief Executive Officer of White Dove Travel and Tour and resided at Borteyman in the Greater Accra Region. The prosecution said in October 2023, the complainant discussed her desire to travel to the United Kingdom with a friend’s husband known as Darlington Ackom Nartey. The court was told Nartey introduced Charlotte to Kyere for assistance. The prosecution said Kyere said he could secure a work permit and visa for her to travel to the UK and work there. The prosecution said Kyere charged Charlotte a fee of 8,000 pounds, cedi equivalent of GHC112,000. It said Kyere collected part payment of GHC40,000 , the complainant’s passport, a copy of her nursing certificate and other documents to process them for her trip to the UK. The prosecution said Kyere assured Charlotte that her travelling documents would be ready within eight weeks, but he failed and went into hiding . It said Kyere refused to answer any of the complainant’s call and he “completely broke communication with her after collecting the said amount.” A report was made to the Police and Kyere was arrested and in his caution statement he admitted collecting GHC40,000 from the complainant and promised to refund the money. GNA  

Deborah Adjei, a trader, who allegedly took GHC3,130, 800 from a contractor under the pretext of securing the releases of fleet of cars seized by the police, has appeared in court. The fleet of cars belonged to Deborah’s late husband. She allegedly collected the money to “settle” the police who seized her late husband’s fleet of case in a fraud case handled by the Property Fraud Unit of the Ghana Police Service. According to the police facts before the court, Deborah was to reimburse the complainant for obtaining the fleets of vehicles from the police. Appearing before Accra Circuit Court, Deborah pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretences. Her accomplices are Winston Gary Jones, one Philip now at large, and one Mujeed Mohammed, now deceased. The court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah admitted Deborah to bail in the sum of GHC3,500.000 with three sureties, one to be justified. The court ordered her report to the police every Wednesday. The matter has been adjourned to July 15, 2024. The prosecution led by Inspector Drinda Otumfour, who held brief, said the complainant Mallam Issah Ishak was a building contractor residing at Spintex. The prosecution said Deborah Adjei, aka Deborah Gary Jones was a trader based in Koforidua. In 2021, a cousin of the complainant, Mujeed Mohammed, deceased, introduced Deborah to the complainant as a friend, who needed help to settle case of fraud being investigated by the police and help retrieve her late husband’s property seized by the Property Fraud Unit of the Police Headquarters. The prosecution said Deborah confirmed the seizure of her husband’s fleet of cars by the police. The court heard that the complainant agreed to help on condition that any amount of money given to her would be reimbursed after the cars were released to her. The prosecution said the complainant then delegated his late cousin, Mujeed Mohammed to visit the police officer in charge of the case to find out the genuineness of Deborah’s claims. A few months later, the complainant handed over GHC1,600,000 to Deborah to settle the alleged fraud case pending at the Police Station. The prosecutor said, “nothing was heard from the accused person (Deboah) again until the latter part of the year 2022, after the death of the complainant’s cousin, Mujeed Mohammed.” He said after the death of Mujeed Mohammed, she called the complainant with the claim that Mohammed had owed her and did not pay until his death. Subsequently, the prosecution said Deborah visited the complainant at his office and surprisingly told the complainant she still needed to pay the police. The prosecution said the complainant parted with some money totaling GHC1,230,000 to Deborah. The court said in May 2024, Deborah visited the complainant in his office and told him that the matter had been settled with the police and that she was only waiting for the release of the fleet of cars. Deborah also forwarded an unsigned letter purported to be a withdrawal letter authorising the police to discontinue the case. A few weeks later, the prosecution said Deborah turned up in the complainant’s office and demanded GHC308,000 to be paid to the police as payments for ground rent and safe keeping of the vehicles before the vehicles could be released to her. On June 25, 2024, at about 1:00pm, Deborah called the complainant to collect GHC300,800 as the remaining balance to be paid to the police. The prosecution said Deborah was taken to the Consolidated Bank of Ghana and GHC300,800 was withdrawn and handed over to her. When the complainant demanded meeting the said police officer at the Police headquarters, Deborah took him to the Fitness Centre at the Police headquarters, but failed to identify the officer, who requested the money. The prosecution said the complainant became suspicious of Deborah’s behavior and reported the matter to the police. The court heard that Deborah could also not lead the complainant to where the fleet of cars was, and the unit or office handling the case. GNA