Fraudster granted bail

A 41-year-old small-scale miner, Samuel Kweku Gyamfi, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢120,000.00 by the Tarkwa circuit court, for defrauding by false pretence.

He pleaded not guilty, and will re-appear before the court on January 26, next year.

Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, said that the complainant, Fred Amonoo, is a small-scale miner resident at Bogoso, while the accused person lives at Aputuogya, near Kumasi.

The prosecutor said, in February, the accused person approached the complainant and his partners, who are Chinese and informed them that he has a concession suitable for alluvial mining.

On February 8, the accused person convinced the complainant and his partners, and succeeded in collecting an amount of GH¢20,000.00.

He led them into a vast forest which shares boundary with River Ankobra at Pepesa, a village near Tarkwa.

Detective Amponsah said on February 21, Gyamfi presented photocopies of documents of the concession registered in the name of Head World Gold Mining Enterprise, to the complainant, and he again collected GH¢100,000.00 as payment for the concession.

He said when the complainant sent his mining equipment to the concession and attempted to prospect for gold, he realized that the concession was a reclaimed land and rocky.

The complainant then informed the accused person and he promised to replace it with another concession, but failed to do so.

The complainant reported the incident to the police, and on October 8, Gyamfi was arrested by the police in Kumasi, and was handed over to the Prestea police.