Economist arrested for allegedly defrauding unemployed woman of over GH¢470,000
A 42-year-old Economist who allegedly took GH¢475,500.00 from an unemployed woman under the pretext of investing it in salted fish business but failed has been remanded by an Accra Circuit Court.
A warrant was initially issued on February 1, 2023, for his arrest after the accused person refused to appear before court.
When the case was called on February 20, 2023, the prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong informed the Court that the accused person was arrested on Sunday, February 19, 2023.
Mr Alex Kodua, charged with defrauding by false pretence, pleaded not guilty.
Mr Prince Omane Boateng, counsel for the accused person prayed for bail saying that his client was not a fright risk and had a fixed place of abode.
Mr Boateng said the accused person would avail himself to stand trial.
The prosecution opposed the bail application on the grounds that when he was granted initial Police enquiry bail, he had not complied with the bail terms.
The prosecution prayed the court to remand the accused person for further investigation.
The Court presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, therefore, remanded the accused person into Police custody to reappear on March 1, 2023.
Earlier, the prosecution said the complainant Theresa Duku was unemployed and resided at Ogbojo, Accra while the accused person was a resident of Oyarifa-Amanfrom, Accra.
It said in October 2021, the complainant lost her job as a banker and the accused person, who was her friend, approached her with claims that he was into the purchase and supply of salted fish locally known as “Kako”.
The prosecution said the accused person convinced the complainant that, if she was able to invest her money into the said business, she could get good returns.
It said the accused person thereafter demanded and collected cash of GH¢30,000.00 from the complainant under the pretext of investing the same into the said business.
The prosecution said some days later, the accused person brought some returns to the complainant as profit he had generated from the money.
It said the accused person, after winning the complainant’s trust, asked her to contact her friends, who may also be interested in the deal.
The prosecution said the complainant fell to the prank and raised funds from her family and friends to the tune of GH¢475, 500.00.
It said the complainant handed over the funds to the accused person, who promised to use the money to order the said salted fish for her to enable her to do the business herself.
The prosecution said the accused person after collecting the money went into hiding and suddenly stopped communications with the complainant.
It said on July 12, 2022, the complainant reported the issue to the Police and the accused person was traced and arrested in his hideout.
The prosecution said the accused person admitted the offence and pleaded with police to give him up to the end of August 2022 to return the money but failed.
It said investigation, however, disclosed that the accused person had never been into the purchase or supply of any salted fish as he claimed.
Source: GNA