Accountant jailed 18 months for fraud

A 29-year-old accountant, who posed as a fish importer to defraud two women, has been sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra Circuit Court.

Alex Nyarko was convicted on the charge of defrauding by false pretences after collecting a total of GH¢118,500 from two traders at the Tema Harbour in February 2013 under the pretext of supplying them with two containers of fish.

He, however, failed to supply the fish and was subsequently arrested and arraigned before the court.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The court, presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, took into consideration the plea of mitigation by his lawyer to tamper justice with mercy and sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment in hard labour.

He was also fined GH¢9,600 or in default serve two years in jail.

The prosecution told the court that the convict received GH¢47,500 from Diana Quarshie and GH¢71,000 from Esinam Modzaka, both traders at the Tema Habour, to supply them with cartons of fish he had imported.

The convict promised to supply the two with 20 plus salmon fish in three days upon receiving the money but reneged on his promise.

The complainants, who realised that they had been duped, conducted their own investigation and discovered that the convict was not a fish importer.

They subsequently reported the case to the police who arrested him.