Musician busted for an alleged fraud

Accra, Oct.11, GNA - A Ghanaian musician who allegedly made a false representation on the internet to swindle a Polish national of GHC15,000 on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. The accused, Simon Asare Adjei aka Ntakra, pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences and was remanded into prison custody to re-appear on October 19.

The Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Abraham A. Annor, said the complainant, Elizabeth Gruszka, is a Polish national while accused, Simon Asare Adjei is a Ghanaian who claimed to be a musician with celebrity name 93Ntakra" and resident of Taifa-Norway, a suburb of Accra.

He said through the internet, the accused established an acquaintance with the complainant in 2010, and the accused made some false representations to the complainant that there was a parcel to be collected by one Carvin Kiley and would need some money to facilitate sending the parcel to Poland and upon arrival, Kiley would reimburse the complainant.

ASP Annor said based on those false representations, the complainant advanced 30,000 Polish Zolty on November 8, 2010 and the accused withdrew 10,000 Polish Zolty of the amount (GHC5, 000) on the same day from the Western Union Money Transfer.

He said the accused later withdrew the remaining 20,000 Polish Zolty (GHC10, 000) also through the Western Union Money Transfer, all the withdrawals were made through Ga Rural Bank Western Union. ASP Annor said the complainant waited in vain to be reimbursed and later complained to the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, Poland.

He said the case was later referred to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) for necessary action and the accused was arrested.

The prosecutor said the accused in his caution statement admitted the offence and pleaded to refund the money, but after investigations he was charged with the offence.