Six before tribunal for 39,000 pounds fraud

ACCRA, September 28 -- Six persons on Tuesday appeared before a circuit tribunal in Accra charged with fraudulently using credit cards to import consumer items to the tune of 39,000 pounds sterling.

They all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, defrauding by false pretences and abetting of crime and were granted 20 million cedis bail with one surety each until October 16. They are Dela Deegbe, a receptionist, Patrick Adams Heinno, graphic designer, Alex Dotse, electrician, Benjamin Glover, computer analyst, David Eduafo, waiter and Edward Adjin Tee, assistant postmaster.

The tribunal chaired by Mr Ziblim Moru ordered that arrest warrants be issued against three other accomplices, Raymond Adesesan Adeyokunnu, Charles Sam and Ola, who are on the run.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Patrick Sarpong said in August, last year, the accused conspired to use by fraudulent means the credit card of an American, Robert Jolly who was lodging at the Golden Tulip Hotel.

Mr Sarpong said on November 5 that year, Deegbe, a receptionist at the hotel, who gave information on the credit card to the syndicate was arrested when the fraud was detected. Sarpong said Deegbe confessed to giving three credit cards bearing the names of Murry Williams, Borgogono Andino and Hope to Heinno.

He said Deegbe and Heinno told police investigators that they used some of the credit cards to order items like bags, shoes, pants, jeans and swimming costume from a company called Victoria Secret in America.

Heinno mentioned Dotse, Glover, Eduafo and Adeyokunnu as having also used the cards to order goods from America. The prosecutor said Glover being a computer analyst, sold the idea of the use of the credit cards to Heinno and later brought in Eduafo and Sam, a computer operator at the Nogahill Hotel in Accra.

Adeyokunnu, the leader of the syndicate sent messages to companies in America for the purchase of Motorola and Nikon mobile phones, belts, gold and diamond rings. Sarpong said Adeyokunnu subsequently acquired a letterbox at the Accra New Town post office, where Adjin is the Assistant Postmaster through whom they received the parcels