Contractor arrested over fraudulent land sale

A 45-year old building contractor, Kwabena Frimpong, has run into trouble with the law over alleged fraudulent land sale.

He is said to have swindled a banker of his cash of GHc16,000.00 under the pretext of selling to him two building plots at Bebu near Santasi in Kumasi.

Frimpong was on Tuesday arraigned and charged with defrauding and he pleaded not guilty.

The Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs. Helen Amoah, admitted him to a GHc20,000.00 bail with two sureties to make his next appearance on February 16.

Police Superintendent Regina Addo-Yobo told the court the incident happened in February, last year.

The accused had told the banker, Mr. Kwabena Oppong, that he had building plots which he wanted to sell and the latter expressed interest.

They settled on the price of GHc16,000.00 and the money was paid to Frimpong after which he took the victim to Bebu to show him the plots in the presence of witnesses.

He promised to provide Mr. Oppong with the relevant documents to seal the transaction within two weeks but failed to keep his word.

The victim, days later, visited the place only to discover that it was being developed by another person and upon investigations, he got to know that the land sold to him was the property of the Bebu community and had been reserved for the construction of a chief's palace.

A formal report was therefore made to the police and Frimpong was arrested.