Court remands two for conspiracy and forgery

An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday remanded David Amankwah, a self-styled businessman and Philip Gyamfi, a trader for conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretences, forgery of documents and misrepresentation.

They pleaded not guilty and would reappear on September 17.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Moses Atibilla, told the court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri that the complainant is a trader, who deals in building materials in Accra.

He said on July 25, this year, David went to the shop of the complainant and introduced himself as a procurement officer at SSNIT.

He said the accused person told the complainant that SSNIT was putting up a number of buildings and needed door locks and hinges.

The prosecution said the complainant gave a box of the door lock containing 20 door locks to the accused person at the cost of GH¢1,200.00.

He said David agreed and bought 70 boxes, each containing 20 door locks, amounting to GH?84,000 and quantities of door hinges valued at GH¢35,000.00, all totaling GH¢119,000.00.

"Complainant told David that because the amount was huge, he should pay the money into his account and bring a pay in slip for the supply," he added.

ACP Atibilla said David, who knew what he was about, managed to get the pay in slip from the bank duly stamped by a teller of the bank on July 26, signifying that he had paid the money into the account of the complainant.

He said the complainant, convinced with what he saw, supplied the 70 boxes of door locks, and asked the accused person to come for the hinges the following day.

He said the complainant, who was not sure about the pay in slip, called his bankers to confirm the payment only to be told that no payment had been made into his account either by a cheque or cash.

The prosecution said the complainant became alarmed and called the accused person but his phone was off and all efforts to trace him and the goods proved futile.

Whilst the complainant was looking everywhere for him and the goods, the complainant had a call from an anonymous person who demanded an amount of GH¢10,000.00 for information on the where about of the accused person and the goods.

"The complainant then asked the person if he can show him proof of what he is saying," he said.

He said the person asked the complainant, if he knew Philip at Adabraka and the complainant answered in the affirmative.

The person then went ahead to tell the complainant that Philip was the 'architect' of the plan and he was the one who gave information to David so that they could dupe him.

The prosecution said the complainant alarmed by the information, reported the case to the police and Philip was arrested, but he denied knowledge about the crime and when contacts on his phone was checked, he had David's phone number stored as oil.

The police took the number of David and monitored his activities until August 20, this year, when he was lured to the Papaye restaurant at Tesano and arrested.

During interrogation, he mentioned Philip as the one, who brought the deal and he has given him GH¢500.00 through Tigo money transfer and was waiting for the actual share of the booty.