Court grants two persons bail in fraud case

Kumasi, July 9, GNA - Two people, who conspired and defrauded a woman of 10 million cedis were on Wednesday granted 15 million cedis each by a Kumasi circuit court.

Elvis Ababio, 27, a wood carver and Akwasi Assuman, 48, a mason, pleaded not guilty and will re-appear on August 6.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Regina Kesewa told the court presided over by Mr Ernest Yao Obimpeh that, Linda Enin, the complainant, who is a housewife, lives at Sepe-Timpom in the Kumasi metropolis.

She said sometime in August last year, the complainant wanted to buy a plot of land and was introduced to the accused persons by one Kwadwo Asamoah.

Chief Inspector Kesewa said the accused persons confirmed to the complainant that they had a plot of land at Medoma, near Mamponteng and therefore took her there to show her.

She said the complainant, who was assured by the accused persons that the land belonged to Elvis Ababio went ahead and paid 10 million cedis to them, leaving a balance of five million cedis.

The prosecutor said the complainant was given an allocation paper signed by the then Adontenhene of Asenua, dated November 18, 2004. Chief Inspector Kesewa said however that, the complainant later decided to check the authenticity of the document given to her and therefore went to the Kwabre District Assembly at Mamponteng to verify, where she was told that the land had been allocated to the Electricity Company of Ghana.

She said the complainant therefore, reported the case to the police Criminal Investigations Department (CID), who arrested the accused persons.

The prosecutor said during interrogation, they admitted selling the land to the complainant but contended that they sold the land to her before it was allocated to the ECG.

However, Chief Inspector Kesewa said police investigations showed that the land is a family property and that the accused persons had no authority to sell it.

The court in the meantime had ordered the accused persons to refund the money to the complainant at the adjourned date.