Painter remanded over $40,000 auto fraud and resisting arrest

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded into police custody Michael Ansah, a 32-year-old painter, on charges of defrauding by false pretense and resisting arrest.

Ansah is alleged to have collected $40,000 (GHC410,000) under the pretext of shipping and selling a Mercedes Benz to one Quacy Freeman but failed and went into hiding.

Ansah indicated to the Police during investigations that he was unable to produce the vehicle because “it was a vehicle he had stolen from a white person in the USA.”

When the matter was called before the court earlier, Ansah failed to appear before the court presided over by Mr Isaac Oheneba Kuffour.

The prosecution led by Inspector Wisdom Alorwu prayed the court for a bench warrant for Ansah’s arrest.

The court granted the prosecution’s request and the Police nabbed Ansah and arraigned him.

When Ansah appeared before the court, it did not take his plea and remanded him for one week.

The case of the prosecution is that the complainant is a trader and a resident of Kwabenya, Accra.

It said Ansah was a painter residing in Ogbojo, Accra.

The prosecution said in November 2022, Ansah went to the shop of the complainant with pictures of a Mercedes Benz GLE and convinced him that he owned the car which was in the United States of America.

It said Ansah further claimed that had used the vehicle for some time and produced some documents to support his claim.

The prosecution said the accused persons told the complainant to pay $40,000 so he could ship the vehicle to him.

It said Ansah introduced one Fred to the complainant as the one who has custody of the vehicle.

The prosecution said the accused person demanded, collected the money, and promised to produce the vehicle in one month.

Soon after collecting the money, started giving excuses and he failed to produce the vehicle.

A report was made to the police on June 5, 2023, and Ansah was arrested at Kwabenya but he managed to escape from the Police.

Ansah was however traced to his hideout in a boutique at Kwabenya.

The prosecution said it took the Police about an hour before they could overpower Ansah.

During investigations, the prosecution said Ansah indicated that he was unable to produce the vehicle because “it was a vehicle he had stolen from a white person in the USA.”