Labourer convicted for fraud and escaping from custody

Kumasi, April 09, GNA - A Kumasi circuit court has sentenced Kwasi Banahene, a 38-year-old labourer of Feyiase, to a one-year jail term for defrauding Kofi Senchery, a trader of 17 million cedis. The court ordered him to refund the money to the complainant. In addition, Banahene was fined two million cedis for absconding from police custody or in default serve a two-year prison term. Banahene pleaded guilty to the two charges and was convicted on his own plea.

Presenting, Police Chief Inspector John K. Afful said in February last year Kofi Senchery, a trader and resident of Feyiase, approached Banahene with the intention of acquiring a plot of land for a friend. He said the accused later went to the complainant with his 72-year-old father who confirmed the desire of Banahene's grandfather to dispose of the land.

Senchery handed over 17 million cedis to the father of which an indenture was subsequently presented to Senchery indicating that he owned the land.

When Senchery attempted developing the land, the grandfather of Banahene said he never ordered the sale of the land and also any document in possession of the complainant was a fake and a forgery stopped him.

The case was reported to the Asokwa police leading to the arrest of Banahene on May 31, 2004 but as he was being escorted to the police station, he bolted until his re-arrest on March 27, this year.