Court slaps Juaben South Municipal Assembly accountant with GH¢1m bail for land fraud

An Accra High Court has slapped a GH¢1 million bail bond on the accountant of the Juaben South Municipal Assembly for allegedly duping a teacher of GH¢800,000 in a land deal.

According to a report by the Chronicles Newspaper, dated June 23, 2023, the accused, whose name is given as Henrietta Kotei Amponsah, allegedly committed the crime with her boyfriend, Samuel Ofori Gyimah.

The accused pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by His Honour, Samuel Bright Acquah, on the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretenses.

Henrietta, who is currently facing the charges alone because her boyfriend has fled, was granted bail up to the tune of GH1 million with three sureties, one of whom must be justified by landed property and the other two by ordinary citizens.

The prosecuting officer, Superintendent Augustine Yirenkye, named Benedicta Boateng, a teacher and resident of Koforidua, as the complainant in the case.

He also named Henrietta Kotei Amponsah, an Accountant at the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly in Koforidua in the Eastern Region, as the first accused (A1) and Samuel Ofori Gyimah, who is currently on the run, as the second accused (A2).

In presenting the fact brief to the court, Supt. Yirenkye indicated that sometime in December 2022, A1 informed the complainant's mother that she and her boyfriend, A2, owned a plot of land in Pantang, Accra, which they were selling.

The mother informed the complainant, Benedicta Boateng, of the land's availability, and she in turn informed her friend, Marcus Ofosu Appiah, who lives in the United States of America.

Supt. Yirenkye told the court that Marcus also expressed interest in buying the land.

The A1 and A2 sold eight plots in all for GH¢1,500,000.00 to the complainant and on behalf of Marcus.

Marcus made a part payment of GH¢800,000.00 for the land through his friend, the complainant.

When the complainant requested documents covering the land after payment, however, the accused persons were unable to provide them as promised.

Later, Augustine Yirenkye added that the complainant returned to the property and noticed that another person was erecting a fence wall around the same property.

The complainant informed the accused of the land development, but they took no action because they lacked title to the land.

The complainant, Benedicta Boateng, after realising that she had been defrauded, requested a refund of the money, but the accused persons refused.

A report was then made to the police, and A1 was arrested, but A2 has since gone into hiding.

A1 admitted to collecting GH¢190,000.00 from the complainant and not GH¢800,000.00.

A1 was charged with the offenses and put before the court.

The presiding judge was also informed that efforts were underway to arrest A2 to assist investigations.

The accused was ordered to show up at the police station once every week and reappear before the court on July 5, 2023.



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