Court grants businessman bail over car fraud

An Accra Circuit Court on Thursday granted a GHC75,000.00 bail with two sureties to be justified to a businessman over an alleged car fraud.

Habib Iddrisu, 35 was ordered by the court to report to the police every fortnight and also deposit his passport with the Court’s Registry.

Iddrisu pleaded not guilty to fraudulently breaching the trust of Yassin Mahmud Dawuda, the complainant. He is to make his next appearance on January 12, 2021.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector William K. Boateng told the Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah that Dawuda is a Ghanaian based in the USA, whilst Iddrisu resides at Nima in Accra.

He said in October 2019, the complainant shipped an unregistered Toyota Camry 2016 model to his younger brother, one Kamal Deen Mahamud Dawuda who was then in Ghana but now in the United Kingdom clear from the port and sell same for him.

Prosecution said later that year, the accused contacted the complainant who had then arrived in Ghana, that someone was interested in buying the said car.

Chief Inspector Boateng said the complainant ordered one Masahudu Musah, a witness in this case to deliver the car to the accused for him to sell to the said interested party.

He said the unregistered Toyota Camry 2016 model valued GHC75,000.00 was given to the accused but three days later, the complainant started looking for the accused to demand either the money or the car but was not successful in that feat

Chief Inspector Boateng said the accused went into hiding in the Republic of Benin and all efforts to trace him proved futile until on July 25, 2020, the complainant’s brother called Mustapha had information that the accused had returned to Ghana and was hiding at Alajo-Accra.

He said a formal complaint was lodged with the Police and the accused was arrested from his hide out.

The prosecution said during investigations the accused admitted the offence and said that he sold the car to someone but could not lead Police to that person.

Mr Boateng said the accused later refunded GHC8,000.00 to the Police.

He said after investigations the accused was charged and put before court.

Mr Yaw Dankwa, Counsel for the accused in pleading for bail said his client did not go into hiding but went to the Police station himself when the case was reported, and that he would be available to stand trial anytime the court needed him.