Nigerian in court over GH¢5000 fraud weeps
A Nigerian on Wednesday broke down in tears when he was arraigned for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH¢5,000.00 under the pretext of supplying him bags of oil well cement at a cost of GH¢120,000.00.
Emeka Eze, a mobile phone seller, charged with defrauding by false pretenses, pleaded not guilty.
Eze who looked tensed, pleaded with the court that he would want assist in order to get his accomplices arrested by the Police. So far, Prosecution said Eze has refunded GH¢3,500.00.
Eze who was in tears said: “My Lord my people come, I go let them catch them. I beg you.”
The court presided over by Mrs. Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye told the accused to assist the police to apprehend his accomplices adding “if you help them, the Police would use you as a witness.”
The court remanded Eze into police custody to reappear on December 13.
The court further ordered the Police to conduct a test on the sample seized from the accused.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Simon Apiosornu said the complainant in the case, Kweku Danquah Ofori Atta resides at Dzorwulu while Eze lives at Antie Eku, near Santa Maria in Accra.
Chief inspector Apiosornu said on November 19, this year, the complainant received a call from his boss Angel Ofori Atta that some people who claimed to be workers of Bui Dam needed oil well cement from Indonesia and that the complainant should contact the secretary of the Ministry of Energy for their details.
Prosecution said the complainant took the details and contacted one of them who claimed to be a Procurement Manager and that they needed the oil well cement from Indonesia.
The prosecution said the so-called procurement manager also claimed they had terminated the contract between them and their former supplier and needed a replacement.
Prosecution said the supposed procurement manager, informed the complainant to contact the said seller of the oil well cement and buy one for testing.
He said the complainant contacted the seller who indicated that he was going to send someone of which the accused emerged with the sample of the oil well cement and collected GH¢5,000.00
The prosecution said after the testing the accused and his accomplices informed the complainant that the Bui Dam Contractor and his team would be coming to Accra to sign contract with him so he should buy 12 more bags of the said cement.
He said the complainant became suspicious and alerted National Security operatives.
The Prosecution said on November 22, this year, Eze was nabbed at Awoshie when he attempted to collect a cash sum of GH¢120,000.00 from the complainant under the pretext of supplying 12 bags of the oil well cement.
He said when Eze was nabbed he mentioned one Kofi and Tawiah as his accomplices but he failed to lead the Police to arrest them.
Source: GNA