Fraudster granted bail

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A) Feb. 11,GNA - Kwame Gyamfi alias 91Akoto' ha= s been granted bail in the sum of GHC5,000.00 and two sureties of substance and reliability to be justified for allegedly defrauding four farmers in Jaman South District under false pretence. Gyamfi, a former employee of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) at Dormaa-Ahenkro, allegedly presented himself as a wholesaler and succeeded in collecting various quantities of maize from some farmers but failed to pay for the grains.

Inspector Charles Agovi told the Dormaa Circuit Court presided by Mr. Alexander Osei Tutu that the suspect went round and collected the maize fro= m the farmers in 2004 but bolted from the district but was identified by some victims in Dormaa-Ahenkro and handed over to the police. He said in a first case, Gyamfi allegedly took 33 bags of maize from a victim at Drobo and later took 21 bags from the victim's mother to make 5= 4 bags all valued at GHC1, 251.00.

Prosecution said he later told the victim on phone he was attacked by armed robbers who took all his money.

In two other cases, Gyamfi took 37 and a half bags of maize under similar pretence from two farmers at Ampekro near Drobo at GHC401.00 and GHC250.00 respectively but paid only GHC100.00 to each of them. Inspector Agovi said at Dormaa-Ahenkro Gyamfi changed his nickname "Okenkey", by which he was known at Drobo, to 93Akonta" to hide his true indentity.