Business consultant dragged to court over $50,000 fraud

A business Consultant who allegedly collected $50,000 under the pretext of seeking a bank loan of $15 million for the chief executive of another company but failed, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Abassa Haruna Appiah, 53, is alleged to have told his victim that he was the representative of a Canadian Company known as East-West Capital Corp. LLC which is involved in the disbursement of funds to assist in projects.

Appiah charged with defrauding by false pretense and two counts of issuing false cheques, pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Ms Ellen Ofei Ayeh admitted Appiah to bail in the sum of GHC290, 000 with three sureties one to be justified.

The court said the sureties should be people of substance and they must provide valid Identification cards.

It further ordered the prosecution to file its disclosures and witness statements within 21 days.

The matter has been adjourned to September 28 for Case Management Conference.

Prosecuting, General Sergeant Thomas Sarfo said the complainant, Alhaji Makaila Ahmed Akuamoah, is a Chief Executive Officer of a company in Accra and also a resident of Dome Pillar Two in Accra.

Sergeant Sarfo said the complainant met Appiah in the first quarter of 2018 at Kempinski Hotel and exchanged contacts.

The prosecution said afterwards Appiah struck a friendship with the complainant.

He said, “The accused on speaking with the complainant realized that the complainant had financial challenge and needed funds to augment his business project”.

According to the prosecution, Appiah with the intent to swindle the complainant falsely represented to the complainant that, he is the Ghana representative of a Canadian Company by the name East West Capital Corp. LLC.

The prosecution said Appiah convinced the complainant that when given an amount of $50,000, he would be able to secure a loan facility of $15million to fix the complainant’s financial gap.

He said the complainant on September 5, 2018, paid $50,000 dollars to Appiah but after receiving the money, he failed to honour his promise and forged a bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi in Japan letter indicating that the loan has been granted.

The prosecution said however checks at the said bank indicated that that letter was a hoax so the complainant started chasing the accused for his money.

The prosecution said Appiah, however, agreed to refund the money on April 2019 to the complainant and as a result, issued HFC bank cheque with the face value of $50,000 and another cheque from Stanbic bearing the same amount. He said all the cheques were dishonoured when the complainant presented them.

The prosecution said investigations revealed that Appiah was not the representative of East-West Capital Corp. LLC as indicated to the complainant.

According to prosecution after the accused was granted police enquiry bail he failed to honour calls from the Police.