Convict remanded in custody for defrauding cocoa purchasing clerk

Takoradi, June 10, GNA - A 34-year old trader, Yaw Adjei, who is serving an eight-month jail-term has been remanded in custody for allegedly defrauding a cocoa purchasing clerk to the tune of GH¢3,000.

His plea was not taken and would re-appear in court on June 14, 2011. Giving the facts of the case, Inspector Daniel Awini told a Takoradi Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Kwasi Boakye, that the accused is a trader who resides at VRA near Ketan while the complainant, Raymond Tibuah is a cocoa purchasing clerk residing at Enchi.

The prosecutor said the accused was remanded in police custody at the Sekondi Central Prisons in March, this year and while in custody met the brother-in-law of the complainant, Kwesi Amoh, also on remand at the said prison.

Inspector Awini said Adjei was later granted bail and visited Kwesi Amoh at the prison and told him that, he could arrange for his bail and that of his other colleagues only if they could get somebody to give him (Adjei) money to bribe the prosecutor in charge of the case.

Amoh was convinced and directed Adjei to his brother-in-law, who stays at Enchi in the Western Region.

According to the prosecutor, Adjei travelled to Enchi and met Tibuah and discussed with him how he could assist in order to arrange for bail to Amoh and his other colleagues.

After the discussion, both Tibuah and Adjei travelled together to Takoradi Circuit court, however upon arriving at the court, they realized that the court had closed for the day, but they met a man who claimed to be the prosecutor handling the case of Amoh and his colleagues.

The said prosecutor claimed he could help them but demanded GH¢3,000= to help him secure bail for them.

Inspector Awini said the fake prosecutor told Adjei to collect the money on his behalf, which Tibuah obliged and gave GH¢2,500 to the accused and left for Enchi to bring the rest of the money.

A few days later, Tibuah allegedly returned the balance of GH¢500 and some foodstuffs which they carried to the false prosecutor's house at Top-10 in Takoradi.

According to the prosecutor, both the accused and his fake prosecutor assured the complainant that his brother-in-law would be granted bail shortly.

The complainant left for Enchi with joy hoping that, Amoh and his colleagues would be granted bail.

Later, he could not trace Adjei and his accomplice till May 24, 2011, when he had information that Adjei was jailed and serving his sentence at the Sekondi Central Prison.

He then went to the prison to verify whether it was the same person who defrauded him. It was there that, Adjei was identified and admitted the offence but could not refund the money.

When he was arraigned before court, Adjei mentioned his accomplice as one Mr Bruce who resides at Top-10 in Takoradi.