Two charged for defrauding Indian

Thompson Opoku Agyemang, unemployed and Maxwell Cobbinah, Transporter on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court, accused of defrauding an Indian businessman of 40,000 dollars under the pretext of transporting gold bars to him in Dubai.

The two, however, denied the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretences. The third accused, Musah Nabie, a Sierra Leonean is however at large.

Agyemang and Cobbinah were granted bail by the court presided over by Mrs Cecilia Dapaa Mireku.

Agyemang has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢160,000.00 with three sureties one to be justified, Cobbinah is on GH¢180,000.00 bail with four sureties one to be justified.

Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Adjei said the complainant is an Indian domiciled in the United Kingdom. The three accused persons are friends.

In November, last year the complainant bought five kilograms of gold and some quantity of diamonds in Sierra Leone.

According to ASP Adjei the complainant asked Nabie to transport the gold and the diamonds to Dubai for him but after some weeks, the complainant received a phone call from Agyemang who introduced himself a Superintendent of Police in Ghana.

Prosecution said Agyemang told the complainant that the goods which was to be transported to Dubai through Ghana had been seized in Ghana and that Customs Officials were demanding 10,000 dollars before the goods can be released.

ASP Adjei said Agyemang told the complainant that he was going to use his position as a Superintendent of Police to facilitate the process.

The complainant, therefore, sent $10,000 through Western Union and Cobbinah went for it.

Later Agyemang informed the complainant that the Customs officials were demanding additional $30,000 for the goods to be released.

Prosecution said Agyemang and Cobbinah went to collect the Ghana cedis equivalent of GH¢121,000.00 and put off their mobile phones and went into hiding.

According to prosecution the Businessman then realized that he had been defrauded hence he gave the power of attorney to John Boadi to report the matter to the Police on his behalf.

During investigations, prosecution said it came to light that Nabie never brought any gold and diamond to Ghana but came into the country to conspire with Agyemang and Cobbinah to defraud the complainant.

Prosecution said two vehicles which were acquired by the accused persons as a result of the offence had been impounded by the Police.