Former Naval Officer and another convicted for fraud

A former Naval Officer and another who allegedly collected $10,000 from a businessman to process a $48-million loan facility from a bank in the United Kingdom but failed have been convicted by a Circuit Court in Accra.

Captain Retired (Rtd) Benoni Obeng Asihene was sentenced to a fine of GHC3,600.00 or in default he would serve eight months in prison.

Kweku Asare Turkson, a 43-year-old Marketing Consultant and an accomplice who is on the run, was sentenced to four years imprisonment in hard labour in absentia.

Asihene and Turkson were also ordered by the court to refund the $10,000 to the complainant.

Delivering her judgement, the court presided over by Mrs Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye, found the two accused persons guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretences.

Capt. Rtd Asihene who is also a farmer was additionally charged with issuing a false cheque.

The two had earlier on denied the charges and the court presided over by Mrs Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye after trial convicted them.

The Prosecution said the complainant Dr Martin Luther Obeng is a businessman and the Chief Executive officer of Mc Palmas Limited based in Accra.

The prosecution said the Capt. Rtd Asihene is the Manager of Horticulture and Wood Products Limited which dealt in horticulture and wood products.

According to the prosecution, Asihene and Turkson claim to be representatives of Fairbak Capital, a firm they alleged was based in the United Kingdom.

The prosecution said Turkson and the complainant have been friends and due to their acquaintance in 2014, Turkson introduced Asihene to the complainant saying they were both representatives of Fairbak Capital in Ghana.

According to the prosecution, the two accused persons informed the complainant that they could assist him to secure a $ 48-million loan for his haulage trucks and trailers business.

On October 15, 2014, the complainant applied for the loan facility through Horticulture and Wood Products Limited.

The prosecution said in March 2015, the complainant through Turkson paid $ 10,000 into the dollar account of Horticulture and Wood Products Limited held at Barclays Bank Ghana Limited Dansoman Branch, Accra.

The Prosecution said after the complainant had paid the $ 10,000 as loan processing fee, the convicts failed to secure the said loan.

The court heard that a report was made to the Police and on May 18, 2016, the two convicts were arrested.

The Prosecution said during interrogation the convicts admitted receiving the money and explained that the complainant, however, refused to submit a bank guarantee for the loan facility.

The prosecution said investigations, however, revealed that there was no relationship between Fairbak Capital and Horticulture and Wood Products Limited.

The prosecution said the accounts of Horticulture and Wood Products belong to one Victor Ababio adding that Horticulture and Wood Products Limited did not engage in financial transactions.

On June 17, 2017, Asihene issued a cheque with the face value of $ 3,800 but same was dishonoured.