How a businessman duped a medical doctor of GH¢50,495

An Adentan Circuit Court has sentenced a businessman to five years imprisonment in absentia for fraud.

Lambert Afedo is said to have collected GH¢50,495 from a medical officer under the pretext of purchasing three auctioned Toyota Vitz cars from Tema for him in 2020 but failed to do so.

Charged with defrauding by false pretenses, Afedo pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail. The prosecution filed its disclosures, and the trial commenced. However, Afedo stopped attending court although the trial had commenced.

On July 7, 2024, after taking the evidence in chief of the second prosecution witness, the court held that it would proceed to determine whether the prosecution had discharged its burden of proving a charge of fraud.

Meanwhile, since June 12, 2024, the court had issued a bench warrant for Afedo’s arrest for failing to appear before it.

The court, presided over by Mrs. Sedinam Awo Kwadam, in her judgment, found Afedo guilty and sentenced him in absentia. “A warrant of commission shall be issued and serve as an arrest warrant,” the court said.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, said the complainant, whose name was withheld, was a medical practitioner at Madina Polyclinic, Accra.

In November 2020, the complainant encountered Afedo, who claimed to be selling and buying cars. Afedo also indicated to the complainant that he had links at the Tema Harbor where he purchased auction cars for retail.

The complainant showed interest in acquiring the said cars to be used for commercial purposes.

Afedo took the complainant to Tema Harbour, and with the assistance of a security man, they were allowed to enter the premises where accident vehicles were parked and being auctioned. Afedo chose three cars, including a 4×4 vehicle, all “accident cars” which he intended to purchase.

According to the prosecution, the complainant also chose two cars which he intended to buy among the “accident vehicles.” Afterwards, the complainant and Afedo returned to Madina. However, Afedo returned to Tema on a different day and informed the complainant that he had gone to see one Hajia Fati Amandu, who oversaw the auction cars, and that he had been asked to bring part payment.

The complainant added another vehicle to the two others he had selected earlier. He gave Afedo various sums of money totaling GHC 50,495 for Afedo to get him three cars. The court heard that after collecting the money, Afedo started “telling stories.”

Afedo informed the complainant that Hajia would let one Kofi, whom he described as his classmate and a bodyguard to the President, assist him in getting the vehicles. However, Afedo could not be traced, hence the complainant went to Hajia Fati, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) activist’s house. Hajia Fati denied Afedo’s story that she was going to assist him in purchasing some auctioned vehicles and also denied knowing Afedo.

A report was made to the police by the complainant, and on August 3, 2022, Afedo was arrested. When Hajia Fati heard of Afedo’s arrest, she went to the Madina Police Station. Afedo claimed he never gave the money to her (Hajia Fati), but to one Hajia Ramatu at Tema. However, Afedo failed to lead the police to the said Hajia Ramatu and requested time to pay the complainant.