NDC aspirant in $62,800 fraud

One of the five persons contesting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary slot for the Abokobi-Madina Constituency in Accra has been hauled before an Accra circuit court over a $62,800 fraud.

The accused, Abdul Nassar Adam, a Geodetic Engineer, is said to have allegedly received the amount from one Brigadier General Hyaanth Nii Armah Tagoe.

The prosecution, led by ASP Cletus Abadamlora, told the court that the accused, who was due to appear before the NDC’s vetting committee today ahead of the party’s parliamentary primaries, reportedly took the money under the pretext of importing electrical appliances.

Appearing before a court presided over by Yaw Attah Sampong, Nassar denied the offence and was remanded into police custody to reappear on October 19, 2015.

The accused was remanded after the trial judge had thrown out a spirited application for bail by Kwame Asante, lawyer for Nassar.

The facts of the case are that Nii Armah was an ICT and Security Consultant and the former Director-General of the Defence Industries Department, resident at Burma Camp.

ASP Abadamlora said the accused is also the Chief Executive Officer of ALNAKS Automotive Company Limited, and resides at Madina in Accra.

The prosecutor stated that Nassar was introduced to Nii Armah in 2012 by a witness in the case and declared his intention as an entrepreneur to do business with the Defence Industries since he (Nassar) had contacts with a number of foreign investors and manufacturing companies in Turkey.

ASP Abadamlora said Nii Armah discussed with the accused his difficulties in importing goods for Ghanaian soldiers who were on peacekeeping operations in 2011 and 2012 through Mr. Bona Ozdog, a liaison officer between the Ghana Defence and the Turkey Defence Industries.

The senior police officer indicated that the accused, as a result, offered to order the goods for the soldiers and upon that Nii Armah transferred the said amount to the accused, adding that Nassar on receipt of the money, started “telling stories.”

ASP Abadamlora said a complaint was lodged with the police but Nassar failed to honour the invitation, despite persistent calls by the police.

He said an arrest warrant was obtained from an Accra circuit court on September 14, this year, and same was published leading to the arrest of Nassar.