Businessman remanded for fraud

Accra, April 24, GNA - A businessman, who allegedly defrauded an American of 22,750 dollars under the pretext of supplying him with seven kilograms of gold but failed to do so on Monday appeared before a Circuit Court in Accra.

Kenneth Owusu, whose plea was not taken, was remanded into prison custody to reappear on May 8, 2006.

The Prosecution said the complainant MacDonald Vasnani was a shipping agent in Tema and in October 2005, he needed gold to buy and he contacted Owusu, who claimed to be a gold dealer and that he would be able to supply the buyer gold worth 22,750 dollars.

Soon after taking the money, Owusu supplied Mr Vasnani with seven kilograms of a metal, which claimed to be gold but after critical examination, it was found to be fake. Owusu soon thereafter went into hiding.

On March 22, 2006 Owusu's picture was published in the media and was subsequently picked up at Komantzi, in the Central Region, where he was hiding.