MP Stands Accused Of Fleecing A Returnee

THE NPP MP for Akropong, Hon Agyare Koi-Larbi, stands accused of fleecing a Kumasi-based businessman, Mr. Kingsley Afful, in a phony ?35m land deal.

Concord has gathered that Mr. Afful, who had a brief stint in Canada, was introduced to Hon.Koi-Larbi by an agent just after his arrival from Canada three years ago.

Hon. Koi-Larbi reportedly assured him of his preparedness to sell him a piece of land at East Legon, an up market residential area in Accra. After prolonged haggling and bargaining, the duo struck an agreement on the land in 1996.

Armed with a dossier of evidence, Concord can reveal that Mr. Afful made a part payment of $4,000.oo to Hon. Koi-Larbi on July 2, 1996. He added another ?1m on October 7 the same year to seal the deal. Hon. Koi-Larbi only issued him with the receipts covering the plot and urged him to wait while the documents covering the land were prepared.

Consequently, Mr. Afful put up his mansion at the site, with the knowledge that he had met all his obligations in so far as the land was concern. However, the real test for the deal came when the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) designated the structure for a possible demolition.

Moreover his suspicion of being duped became more pronounced when Hon. Koi-Larbi to whom he rushed for assistance, could not furnish him with the said document to defend his property and also use it as a collateral to source a loan. Mr. Afful?s moments of anxiety were somewhat exacerbated when a whistleblower informed him that Hon. Koi-Larbi was not the proper signatory to the plot and therefore not qualified to sell the land to him.

Uncomfortable with what he was hearing, Mr.Afful made a desperate enquiry at the Land Registry to ascertain the proper ownershp of the aforementioned plot. The feeling of being toyed with, which hitherto had been a bit foggy in Mr. Afful?s mind burst open when the Land Registry confirmed the whistleblower?s information that Hon. Koi-Larbi has no right to sell the land because he is not the right owner.

?If he is not the proper signatory to the land, then my money has gone down the drain?, Afful exclaimed.

The Land Registry, however, directed him to see the Shiashie Chief if he was serious about buying the land because his earlier deal with Hon. Koi-Larbi was nullified at birth. In a dejected mood, Mr. Afful saw some elders in the area to seek the intervention of the Chief on his behalf. Nii Tetteh Opremereh, the Chief of Shiashie, agreed to relook at Mr. Afful?s case thereby averting a possible demolition of his building.

There is now a logjam between Hon. Koi-Larbi and Mr. Afful on how and when the former would reimburse the latter. Hon. Koi-Larbi has shrugged off numerous requests from Mr. Afful to have the matter settled diplomatically.

Therefore, Mr. Afful has threatened to deal with Hon. Koi-Larbi. ?I have to take Mr.Koi-Larbi to task?, he warned.

Hon. Koi-Larbi?s reaction to the above reaction was a bit ambivalent when Concord reached his office some two weeks ago.

In the company of two gentlemen, Hon. Koi-Larbi initially feigned ignorance of any deal with Mr. Afful and challenged the Concord to provide documentary evidence to that effect. One of the two gentlemen in the office, however, ?reminded? him of their dealings with Mr. Afful some time ago but rejected the claim that they had defrauded him.