By: Helena Selby
A driver and an unemployed, who allegedly presented some quantities of cement to a small scale miner, under the pretext of it being mercury element, have been arraigned before an Accra circuit court.
The accused persons, Felix Akoto and Reuben Nyamado, allegedly collected GH¢9,000 and presented the cement to the complainant instead of mercury and went into hiding.
Both accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretense contrary to section 23 (1) of act 1960, before the court presided over by Mrs. Patience Mills-Tetteh. They have been granted bail in the sum of GH¢20,000 with two sureties each, and are expected to re-appear before the court on February 28, 2012.
Both accused persons have so far been able to refund GH¢2,000 and promised to bring the rest on the next adjourned date.
The underlining facts are that in May 2011, the complainant was looking for a quantity of mercury element to buy when the accused persons agreed and acted together to defraud the complainant in Adenta, suburb of Accra.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Charles Chester said the accused persons collected a cash amount of GH¢9000 from the complainant and brought him some quantity of cement in a polythene bag.
According to him, the complainant tested the content and detected that it was cement. The complainant, therefore, confronted the accused persons but both of them could not give any tangible explanation adding that every effort made by the complainant for the refund of his money proved futile.
“On October 28, 2011 the complainant reported the case to the police. The accused persons were arrested. In their caution statement they admitted having collected the money but handed it over to one alhaji who produced the said mercury element” the prosecutor noted. He said the accused persons could not assist the police to trace the said Alhaji.
Meanwhile, a businessman was arraigned before the same court for allegedly damaging property worth GH¢895,932 belonging to an auto mechanic.
The accused person, Jeffery Laryea, was alleged to have assumed legal ownership a piece of land the complainant was place in-charge after renting it for almost 10 years and destroyed several items on the said land.
He allegedly destroyed the complainant’s property situated on the land under the pretext of protecting his land. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing damage and has been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢40,000 with two sureties. He is expected to re-appear before the court on March 7, 2012.
The brief facts are that in 2000, the complainant rented a parcel of land situated at Chorkor “T” garden area from one Ben Halm for a work shop for a period of 10 years at the price of GH¢4,800.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Charles Chester said in return, Ben Halm handed the indenture and the tenancy agreement between the two of them to the complainant, adding that the complainant put up an auto mechanic workshop on the land without any interference from anyone.
“In 2006, the accused person filed a writ at a court claiming ownership of the same land the complainant was occupying. The land lord was informed but he denied having ever sold the land to the accused person”, the prosecutor told the court.
He further stated that on January 9, 2007, the accused person went to the complainant’s workshop in his absence and caused damage to the items. According to him on January 10, 2007, the complainant lodged a complaint at the police and the accused person was arrested
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