Businessman allegedly swindles Accountant over Gold Mining documents

A 36-year-old businessman who allegedly defrauded an Accountant of GH?15, 000 under the pretext of securing him a Community Gold Mining permit and Certificate has appeared before the Kaneshie District Court.

Wisdom Adzoma, charged with defrauding by false pretence and possessing a forged document, has pleaded not guilty.

The Court presided over by Ms Ama Adomako Kwakye admitted Adzoma to bail in the sum of GH?20, 000 with two sureties.

The accused is expected to reappear on February 1, 2021.

The Prosecutor, Police Inspector John Baidoo, said the complainant, Achelles Addo, resided at Lashibi while accused resided at Doblo, near Amasaman.

Inspector Baidoo said on January, 23, this year, the complainant met Adzoma at Alisa Hotel in Accra and during their conversation, the accused person introduced himself to the complainant as a small scale miner and currently working with the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining and that he could assist him to secure community mining documents.

The prosecution said the complainant who was planning to engage in a community mining, became convinced and decided to give it a try.

Inspector Baidoo said accused charged the complainant an amount of GH?20, 000 and subsequently collected an amount of GH?15,000 to acquire the required documents needed for the community mining for the complainant within four days.

“Accused person after having succeeded in taking the money from the complainant, failed to honour his promises and every effort made by the complainant to get the accused persons to take the document or to retrieve his money proved futile,” prosecution said.

According to the Prosecutor, on February 17, this year, the complainant called the accused person to inform him that he was having an unspecified sum of money to be given to the accused person to fast track the process.

He said accused agreed and met the complainant at Alisa Hotel and handed over a copy of Environmental Permit (Community Gold Mining Certificate) and Community Mining Permit to the complainant.

The Prosecutor added that the complainant made his search and enquiries and realized that the documents were fake.

Adzoma, according to the prosecution was arrested and in his caution statement, he mentioned one Ofori as his source but failed to assist the Police to get the said Ofori arrested and assist the Police investigations.