Court hunts two for fraud

A Circuit Court in Accra has ordered the arrest of two persons who allegedly swindled a Nigerian businessman of GHC140, 000.00 under the pretext of selling 0.28 acres of land at Borteyman to him.

Augustine Ankamah aka Abiola, a 36-year-old Estate Developer and a Contractor, and Sherif Bortey a Businessman and self -styled Chief, on Monday failed to appear in court when the matter was listed for hearing.

Chief Inspector William K Boateng informed the court that the accused persons had been duly informed to appear in court today, but the two accused persons failed to show up.

Prosecution, therefore, prayed the court for a bench warrant.

The court presided over by Mrs Afua Owusua Appiah obliged the prosecution’s request and adjourned the matter to September 14.

Ankamah and Bortey are expected to answer to the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretenses.

The case of the prosecution is that the complainant, Tinkere Usen Abrah resides at East Legon, Accra whiles the two accused persons reside in Accra.

Prosecution said in the year 2018, Ankamah who is a friend to the complainant approached him and offered to assist him to secure a parcel of land at Borteyman around Community 18.

Prosecution said Ankamah took the complainant and showed him a 0.28 acres of land, with a floor level building structure at a cost of GHC140, 000.00.

On October 14, 2018, the prosecution said Ankamah took the complainant to Bortey who posed as a Chef and owner of the land, and an amount of GHC140,000 was paid to them.

Ankamah then issued a receipt over the sale of the land to the complainant.

On November 2018, Charles Gafti Kwaku aka Amonia, a witness in the case together with the Tema Development Company (TDC) went to demolish the complainant’s structure on the land indicating that the TDC had already registered the land in question with the Right of Entry and Title Reference number in the name of Charles Gafti Kwaku.

When the complainant confronted the accused persons, they promised to give him another plot and they went into hiding.

He said several efforts to reach them and retrieve the money had also not been successful.

A report was made to the Regional CID and the accused persons were picked up at their hideouts. In their respective caution statements, the accused persons admitted the offence.