Defrauding by False Pretences Archives

Two persons on GHC100,000.00 bail each over alleged car fraud

The Dansoman Circuit Court has granted a GHC100,000.00 bail with three sureties each, to two people over alleged abetment of car fraud. The Court ordered that two out of their sureties each, be public servants earning not less than GHC5,000.00. The sureties must also be residents within the jurisdiction of the Court and one each must be justified. David Dompreh Broni, 41, car agent and Evans Nkeboare, alias Kobby, 28, shop attendant/ driver shall report to the Police once every week otherwise determined by the Court, the Court added. The Court ordered prosecution to file disclosures and witness statements for Case Management Conference to begin on August 7, 2024. Broni and Nkeboare denied the offence of aiding and abetting six others at large, to commit crime to wit defrauding by false pretense. Meanwhile Osei Monney, alias Ampadu, 67, pensioner, Adofo Samuel, 62, shop attendant and four others are on the run. The Court was told that the complainant is a Public Relations Officer name withheld, staying at Tema. The prosecution said Monney, Broni, Nkeboare and Adofo were a pensioner, car agent, and employees respectively residing at various suburbs in Accra. In January 2024, Broni called Monney and requested to sell his unregistered Hyundai Elantra vehicle on Jiji.com for him. The Court heard that Monney agreed, sent pictures of it to Broni and same were uploaded on Jiji.com. On February 01, 2024, the complainant saw the advert and called the number displayed and was referred to another person. The Court heard that the next day, before her mechanic could come, the alleged owner met with Monney and agreed to take off the for-sale stickers on the car in the presence of Nkeboare and Adofo to avoid any suspicion. The prosecution said the mechanic demanded the car’s documents to aid him. It said the alleged owner in “Kaftan” attire gave it to him in the presence of Monney, Nkeboare, and Adofo and after inspection, test driving was done together with Nkeboare, Adofo and the alleged car owner. The Court heard that after inspection, the mechanic gave approval for the complainant to negotiate and buy it, where the alleged owner and complainant settled on GHC90,000 00 in the presence of Nkeboare and Adofo. She then requested for bank details to do bank transfer, but it was rejected with the excuse by the alleged owner that he owed the bank. The alleged owner asked another accomplice to accompany the complainant to Fidelity Bank, Kaneshie Branch to withdraw the GHC90,000.00. The prosecution said she was later lured to a nearby shop where she met the alleged owner and another accomplice acting as a cashier, who was made to receive the full amount. She was issued with a receipt and told that it would be stamped at Monney’s shop before the documents and the ignition keys would be handed over to her, the Court was told. The prosecution said the alleged owner took her to Monney’s shop and as soon as they parked in front of it, he escaped with a waiting motorbike. The prosecution continued that after defrauding the complainant, Monney told Broni that he had sold the car and instantly, Broni pulled down the for-sale details from Jiji.com. The police said the case was still under investigation to trace and arrest the other accomplices. By Gifty Amofa, GNA

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Menzgold case: NAM1 disagrees with order to open Defence, considers redress

Founder of defunct Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah, has expressed disagreement with the decision of the High Court in Accra to open his Defence to charges after dismissing his motion for submission of no case to answer. Justice Ernest Owusu Dapaa, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge, ruled that prosecution through its nine witnesses has been able to establish a prima facie evidence against them in 35 out of the 39 counts. Breaking his silence moments after the Court had ordered him to open his Defence, NAM1 said he is not guilty of the offenses. “We had some acquittals and a huge chunk of the charges have been dismissed, which is fine. We disagree with the judgment of the court, but it is worthy of note that the disagreement does not in any way erode our confidence in the judiciary or the court,” he stated. “I will speak with the legal team of the defense and we will consider and explore all necessary rights to redress under the parameters of rule of law. We have always maintained that we are not guilty and we still stand by that,” he added. “So once we disagree, the law permits that we take it to all the legal remedies under our legal dispensation. So, we will go back to the drawing table to defend ourselves and to affirm and get the court to proclaim our innocence to the whole world,” NAM1 intimated. The initial 39 counts comprised a count each of selling gold contrary to section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703, Operating a deposit-taking business without a license contrary to section (1) and 22 (1) of the Banking and Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930) and Inducement to invest contrary to section 344 of the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), The others include 22 counts of Defrauding by false pretense contrary to section 131 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), seven counts of fraudulent breach of trust contrary to section 128 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and seven counts if Money Laundering contrary to section 1(2)(a)(i) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044). However, the counts have been reduced to 36 after the prosecution abandoned three of their counts because of the unavailability of the victims. Justice Ernest Owusu-Dapaa has adjourned the case to July 23 for the Case Management Conference and for further directives for NAM1 to open a defense. Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Murtala Inusah

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Court order arrest of Senior Military Officer

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An Accra Circuit Court has issued an arrest warrant for a military officer accused of being involved in a GHC136,000 recruitment scam. Captain Abel Nartey, stationed at Army Headquarters, Burma Camp, Accra, is alleged to have collected GHC120,000 out of the GHC136,000 to facilitate the enlistment of some persons into the various security services in the country. The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah, that Capt. Nartey had been invited severally by the Regional Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service to assist in investigations but failed to honour the invitation. According to the prosecution, a wireless communication was sent to the Military Police and Army headquarters requesting that he be produced for investigation, but no results were obtained. The court therefore issued a bench warrant for Capt. Nartey’s arrest. Meanwhile the prosecution today amended the facts and the charge sheet and Clement Ayomah, a military officer, who is standing trial with Capt. Nartey, had his plea retaken. Ayomah pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretences. The court ordered Ayomah to be released on his former bail condition and adjourned the matter to August 5, 2024. The case of the prosecution was that the complainant, George Ofori Amoako is a trader residing at Darkuman. It said Ayomah is a military officer stationed at Burma camp, while Capt. Nartey is stationed at the Training and Doctrine Command at Teshie. The prosecution said in 2021, the complainant was introduced to Ayomah by one Vivian as a Military officer who has slots in the armed forces. It said the complainant expressed interest and contacted Ayomah for assistance. According to the prosecution, Ayomah told the complainant that he and Capt. Nartey, who is at large, had many protocol slots in the security services. The court heard that Ayomah collected GHC136,000 from the complainant and gave GHc120,000 to Capt. Nartey to enlist 12 people into the Ghana Armed Force, seven into the Ghana Police Service and three into the Ghana Immigration Service. The prosecution said Ayomah took the remaining GHC16,000. After taking the money, Ayomah failed to honour his promise and began playing hide and seek with the complainant. The prosecution said in March 2023, a report was made to the Police and Ayomah was arrested. The court was told that Capt. Nartey was invited severally by the Regional CID, Accra, to assist in investigations but he failed to honour the invitation. “A wireless message was also sent to the Military Police and the Army headquarters for him to be produced but they also failed to produce him.” In Ayomah’s caution statement, he admitted collecting money from the complainant and mentioned that some of it was given to Capt. Nartey, who is at large. The prosecution said Ayomah has since refunded GHC50,000. GNA Related

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Mr Logic in court over fraud

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Christopher Nelson, aka Mr Logic, a musician, has appeared before a Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding an American of $21,000 and GHC48,000. Nelson is alleged to have collected the monies under the pretext of securing the American citizen a resident permit in Ghana but failed. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretense. Nelson, represented by counsel, was admitted to bail of GHC400,000, with three sureties, two of whom are public servants earning not less than GHC2,000 and living within the court’s jurisdiction. Additionally, the court said the other surety shall be justified with title deed. The court presided over by Halimah El-Alawa Abdul Basit also ordered Nelson to deposit his passport at the Court’s Registry and report to the Police every two weeks. It also directed the prosecution to file disclosures and witness statements for Case Management. The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, earlier did not oppose bail, but prayed to the court that the bail conditions should compel the accused person to appear in court as well as the police pending the final determination of the matter. The case as narrated by the prosecution is that the complainant Khori Edward Lweis is an American citizen residing at Pantang, Accra. The prosecution said the accused person also resided at Pantang. The prosecutor said in May 2023, the complainant and his family visited Ghana and were introduced to one Monica Spence, who claimed to be under the management of Mr Logic’s Music management. The prosecution said the accused person during the conversation intimated to the complainant that, he could get resident permit issued to him to be able to live and work in Ghana but at a fee. The court heard that the complainant became interested, and that the accused person took advantage and demanded and collected cash in the sum of $21,000 under the pretext of securing resident permit for the complainant and his family. The prosecution said the accused person collected GHC48,000 again from the complainant for taxes payable to the government. The prosecutor told the court that the complainant carried out his own investigations and discovered that the transaction was not legitimate, and the funds charged by the accused person were unauthorised. On May 11, 2024, the complainant reported the matter to the Police and the accused person was invited many times by the Police via his cell phone to assist in investigations, but he failed. The prosecution said investigations extended to the Ghana Immigration Service indicated that the cost of the resident permit was $1,000 per person. The prosecutor said accused summons was prepared and served on the accused to appear before the Court. GNA

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Lecturer, students busted over bed, room allocation scandal

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Two students and a lecturer accused of collecting GH₵106,800 under the pretext of providing beds and rooms to students at the Dr Killa Liman Hall of the University of Ghana have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. Joseph Appiah, 25, Stephen Nimako Ansong, 24 and Dr Kwadwo Owusu Ayeh, a 58-year-old Senior Hall Tutor, have been jointly charged with conspiracy and 32 counts of defrauding by false pretences. Appiah and Nimako have been additionally charged with abetment of criminal offence namely corruption of and by public officer. Dr Ayeh is also facing an additional charge of corruption by a public officer. The three accused persons have pleaded not guilty. The court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo has admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 each, with a surety each. The trial judge ordered the prosecution to comply with the rules of disclosures and adjourned the matter to July 30, 2024. The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, told the court that the complainant, Professor Gordon Awandare was a Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon. It said Appian and Ansong were level 400 students at the University and Dr Ayeh, a lecturer and Senior Hall Tutor of Dr Hilla Liman Hall at the same University. Chief Inspector Lawer said on October 17, 2023, the complainant petitioned the Accra Regional Police Command to conduct investigations into alleged ongoing bed-selling at Dr Hilla Liman Hall of the University. The prosecution told the court that the complainant alleged that some students and staff of the University were demanding and collecting money from students of the University under the pretext of allocating rooms and beds to students at the said hall. The prosecutor said on October 18, 2023, a team of detectives from the Accra Regional Criminal Investigations Department led by a former Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Osei-Agbogah, visited the University of Ghana to commence with investigations into the matter. During investigations, 32 students who fell victim to the scheme were identified and contacted and they confirmed that Appiah and Ansong demanded and collected various sums of money ranging from GH¢2,000 and GH¢2,500 from them and assured them that beds and rooms would be allocated to them. Appiah and Ansong were arrested and during interrogation, they admitted that they were engaged in an accommodation and bed selling deal with Dr Ayeh. The prosecution said it was also discovered Dr Ayeh after assuming office conspired with Ansong to search for students in need of accommodation and beds at the Dr Hilla Liman Hall. The prosecutor said Ansong also informed Appiah to look for prospective students. The Court heard that the accused persons succeeded in collecting a total amount of GH₵106,800 from 32 students under the pretext of offering them accommodation and beds at Dr Hilla Liman hall, but failed. The prosecution said Ansong had refunded GH¢30,000. myjoyonline.com

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Drivers mate remanded for defrauding trader

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The Enchi District Magistrate Court has remanded a 26-year-old driver’s mate, Stephen Martey into police custody for defrauding a 62-year-old trader to the tune of GH¢450.00 Markey’s plea was not taken and the court presided over by Mr Lawrence Buanor-Buer, ordered him to refund the money to Madam Grace Arthur, the complainant. The case has been adjourned to Monday June 24, 2024. Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare, said the complainant and the accused person resided at Jensue in the Aowin Municipality. He said during the month of May, 2024, the complainant met Martey within Enchi Township and introduced himself to her as a driver’s mate to a Rhino truck. Inspector Agyare said the complainant who wanted the accused to deliver her 30 bags of charcoal to Takoradi gave him an amount of GH¢450 as payment. Prosecution said after the accused person received the money, he disappeared and all efforts made by the complainant to trace or retrieved the money proved futile. On Saturday May 25, 2024, the complainant had information that Martey had been arrested by the police in Enchi in connection with a different case, proceeded to the police post and identified the accused to the officers and lodged a complaint against him. Inspector Agyare said Martey admitted the offence in his investigation caution statement and confessed to the police that he spent the money. GNA

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Businessman granted GHC 350,000 bail in alleged visa fraud case

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An Adentan Circuit Court has granted bail to Faisal Moro, a businessman arrested in connection with a GHC289,600 alleged visa fraud case. Moro was admitted to bail in the sum of GHC350,000 with three sureties, one to be justified. The court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Kwadam, ordered the accused to produce seven passports he collected from victims. When Moro was asked about the whereabouts of the passports, he said they were in Abidjan, where they were being worked on. The court has adjourned the matter to July 10, 2024, for Case Management Conference (CMC). It therefore directed the prosecution to file disclosures. Moro is accused of collecting GHC289,600 to procure German visas for several individuals. However, the visas were allegedly found to be counterfeit when two of the victims attempted to use them at the Airport for international travel. The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Anim Darko, earlier told the court that the complainant, Peter Kwabena Addai, is a businessman residing in Adenta Frafraha, while the accused lived in Dansoman, Accra. The prosecution said on April 6, 2024, Addai was introduced to Moro by his friend, Appiah Kubi, as an agent who had successfully secured visas for many people, including himself. The court was told that Addai approached Moro, who agreed to assist and handed him seven passports to initiate the visa process. The prosecution said on April 9, 2024, Moro returned two passports with visas, informing Addai that “these two are ready and scheduled to travel on April 13, 2024.” Consequently, a sum of GHC289,600 was deposited into Moro’s Cal Bank Account and on April 13, 2024, he (Moro) accompanied the two individuals to the airport to facilitate their travel to Spain and Germany via Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom. However, during the check-in process, it was discovered that the visas and tickets were fraudulent, resulting in the denial of travel permission for individuals. The prosecution said Moro acknowledged the offence in his caution statement to the Police. GNA

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Man in court for allegedly swindling a trader of GHC120,000

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Habib Munkaila, a 33-year-old man, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for defrauding a trader of GHC120,000. Munkaila is alleged to have collected the money under the pretext of changing it into 6,855,000 CFA Francs but failed. Charged with defrauding by false pretences and dealing in foreign exchange without license, Munkaila has pleaded not guilty. The court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah has admitted the accused person to bail in the sum of GHC100,000 with three sureties. The matter has been adjourned to May 7, 2024. Inspector Shiela Tetteh, who held brief, narrated that the complainant Cecilia Ahemah is a trader who plies her trade between Accra and Lome. Prosecution said Munkaila was a foreign exchange dealer who operated on the “black market “at Tudu. The prosecutor told the court that in September 2023, the complainant needed CFA Francs to purchase goods from Lome in Togo. According to prosecution, the complainant contacted the accused person who assured her that he could change the money for her. Prosecution said the complainant gave Munkaila an amount of GHc120,000, equivalent to 6,855,000 CFA Francs. After a week, the prosecution said the complainant went to the accused person to collect the money so she could travel to Lome to purchase her goods. Prosecution said the accused person told the complainant to proceed to Lome and that he had transferred the money to one Mohammed in Lome to be given to her. On reaching Lome, the complainant met Mohammed who told her that he has not received any money from Munkaila. Prosecution said the complainant returned to Accra and Munkaila informed her that there was shortage of CFA Francs on the market, and that he had given the money to one of his clients to get the CFA Francs within one week. The court heard that the accused person failed to give the complainant the money as promised and kept postponing the delivery date. Prosecution said the complainant after waiting for six weeks, reported the matter to the Police and the accused person was arrested. The court was told that the accused person during investigation stated that he had invested the money into a business but declined to disclose the said business to the Police. Prosecution said the accused person refunded GHC30,000 to the Police which had since been released to the complainant. The prosecution said during police investigations, it became known that the accused person did not have a license to trade in Foreign Exchange. GNA

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Man, 33 in court over alleged police recruitment scam

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A 33-year-old unemployed man who allegedly collected GHC65,739 cedis under the guise of recruiting two people into the Ghana Police Service has appeared in court for fraud. Emmanuel Ofori Ansong is being held on a charge of defrauding by false pretences. Ansong, who had no legal representation, pleaded not guilty before the Dansoman Circuit Court. The court presided over by Halima EL-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, granted Ansong bail in the sum of GHC70,000 with three sureties, one to be justified. Two of the sureties are to be public servants earning GHC2,000. According to the court, the accused was also to deposit a copy of his Ghana Card with the Court’s registry. The matter was adjourned to May 6, for the prosecution to file witness statements and disclosures. The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder and Inspector Esther Mensah, opposed the grant of bail to the accused. It said the accused may not turn up in court when granted bail and may compromise police investigations in another matter concerning him. According to the prosecution, its submission was not meant to prejudice the court’s mind but to tell them the “fact.” The prosecution submitted that the complainant, Benjamin Otchere Amo, is a farmer from Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region, while the accused, Ansong, 33, is an unemployed person living in a family house in Bubuashie. The prosecution stated that in November 2023, there were rumors of some Youth Employment Agency personnel being recruited into the Ghana Police Service. The court heard that the Complainant was introduced to Ansong as a National Youth Employment Agency (YEA) personnel who might help him get recruited. The court was told that the accused contacted the complainant and following their engagement demanded money to start the process, to which the complainant gave GHC 1,000 each for himself and his elder brother as requested by the accused. The prosecution said Ansong demanded more money under the pretext of creating new Y.E.A numbers and buying forms for the complainant and his brother, all of which were untrue, but they paid. When Ansong realized the complainant could pay any amount he requested, he began making numerous demands for varying sums of money as needed for his personal use. According to the prosecution, Ansong informed the complainant that his brother was qualified for the Senior Police Officer position and requested a payment of GHC10,000.00 if interested. The complainant subsequently made payments to the accused’s MTN cellphone number, 0545411049. After some weeks, Ansong called the complainant again and told him that his brother should submit his HND certificate for the Senior Officer Rank, which he did not have. The court heard that Ansong told the complainant that he could assist him get one from Pentecost University for GHC10,000.00, which the complainant paid in bits to him through mobile money vendors to the accused’s number. Ansong continued to make demands for various sums of money in the name of “settling” his directors to make the process faster. As a result, Ansong took GHC65,739 from the complainant and his brother under the guise of assisting them to get recruited into the Ghana Police Service. The prosecution said the complainant realized after some time he was being scammed when he saw no results. The prosecution said on April 3, 2024, the complainant went to Ansong’s house but on seeing him (complainant), the accused jumped a wall and fled. The prosecution said the complainant then reported the issue to the Korle-Bu Police and on April 22, 2024, Ansong returned to the neighbourhood and was arrested by some good Samaritans and handed over to the Police. Ansong in his investigation caution statement, admitted the offence. GNA

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Driver and teacher in court over GHC1million auto fraud

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Bright Kwashie, a 32-year-old driver, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GHC1,058,600. Kwashie allegedly collected the money from the businessman to sell him an auctioned Toyota Rav 4, Mercedes Benz S360, Kia Picanto, and four generator plants, but failed to do so. Kwashie was joined in the dock by Divine Kwasi Agbeyagah, a teacher who pretended to be a Customs Officer and helped commit the crime. While Kwashie has been charged with defrauding by false pretences, Agbeyagah is facing a charge of abetment of crime. The two accused have been granted bail in the sum of GHC100,000, with three sureties, one of whom must own landed property. The court granted bail after the Office of the Attorney General requested the case docket since the sum involved in the matter exceeded GHC500,000. The court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah, has adjourned the matter to May 26, 2024. The prosecution said that the complainant, Philip Osabutey, is a vehicle and general goods dealer. Kwashie is a resident of Odomi in the Oti Region, whereas Agbeyagah is a teacher who lives in Nsakye, near Nsawam, and from Odomi in the Oti Region. The court heard that in March 2021, the complainant wanted to buy some vehicles and asked his friend Nicolas Afitoo, a witness in the case, to assist him. The prosecution said the witness then introduced his nephew, Kwashie, to the complainant as an errand boy who would look up information on the vehicles the complainant wanted. According to the prosecution, Kwashie later informed the complainant that he had a Customs officer friend named Chief Atomi who was in charge of the Aflao Customs Boarder Checkpoint and could help him acquire several vehicles to be auctioned, including a Toyota Rav 4, valued at GHC120,000, a Mercedes-Benz S360 at GHC395,000, a Kia Picanto for GHC16,000, and four generator plants from Togo. Additionally, the complainant was required to pay GHC67,000 for documents. The prosecution said that the complainant made an initial payment of GHC70,000 to Kwashie, for which he provided a receipt. Kwashie subsequently gave the complainant 24 telephone numbers to wire money to. The prosecution said that the complainant made various payments totalling GHC1,058,600 to telephone numbers. On April 15, 2021, while the complainant was waiting for the goods to be delivered, Kwashie introduced Agbeyagah to him over the phone as a Customs officer and uncle who could assist with the documentation of the goods. The prosecution said Agbeyagah told the complainant to transfer GHC22,300 to his mobile money account to facilitate the documentation. The complainant waited for the goods, but they were not delivered, so he petitioned the Police Intelligence Directorate, and Kwashie was arrested at his hideout in Akpafu, Oti Region, and turned over to the Criminal Investigations Department’s Auto Theft Unit. The prosecution said Agbeyagah was apprehended on May 20, 2023, by the Police and admitted the offence, claiming that he sent GHc10,000 to Kwashie on his Momo account and was only given GHC1,300 in commission. During their investigation, the police obtained mobile money records from Agbeyagah’s personal phone number for Richard Atigah, Samira Sulley, God; Love Ventures, Refuge Agbogah, Bright Kwashie, and Mohammed Abdul, which were then transferred to Kwashie, the first accused person. The prosecution said Kwashie failed to lead the police to the other accused persons allegedly involved in the matter. GNA

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