Police officer arrests man jailed in absentia

A Senior Police officer has arrested Godfred Atteh Otumi, a Site officer sentenced to two years in prison in absentia by Circuit Court Two in Accra.

Detective Chief Inspector Amoah and a prosecutor apprehended Otumi and sent him to commence his two-year sentence.

Otumi was found guilty by Circuit Court Two on a charge of defrauding by false pretences.

He sold a parcel of land at Tse Addo for GHC150,000. The court found out the said land did not belong to him, yet he went ahead to sell it.

Otumi failed to turn up on the day of judgement and the court sentenced him in absentia.

He, however, resurfaced at the court premises on Wednesday in another matter before Circuit Court Nine and his prosecutor caused his arrest.

A complainant in another case approached Chief Inspector Amoah, stating that Otumi had a case before Circuit Court Nine and that the matter would be heard by the Court.

At Circuit Court Nine, Chief Inspector Amoah produced Otumi when matter was called.

The trial judge, Mr. Bright Samuel Bright Acquah asked that Otumi be kept in Police custody for speedy trial before sending him to Nsawam.

It therefore remanded Otumi in police custody and adjourned the matter to February 5, 2024.

At Circuit Court Nine, the prosecution was about to call a second prosecution witness in the case.

In that case, Otumi is said to have collected GHC120,000 and GHC144,000 from one Samuel Thompson and one Eyram Adosraku respectively under the pretext of securing them a plot of land each at Tse Addo.

Otumi is alleged to have conspired with one Alhaji Muntaka who is currently at large.

Otumi has denied the charges of conspiracy and two counts of defrauding by false pretenses.