Russian Faces Extradition

by Helena Selby

A Russian Geologist is in the process of being extradited by an Accra circuit court for allegedly defrauding two people in his country. The accused person, Valasis Andrey, is alleged to have defrauded K. Tsalkosov and A. Danilov of an amount 350,000 Ruble under the pretext of supplying them with quantities of wheat.

He was alleged to be on trial by the Mozodoskiy District Court of the Republic of Russia sometime in July 2006, and has since then been on the hide out in Winneba in the Central Region of Ghana.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretense contrary to section 131 of act 29/60 of the Ghanaian constitution before the court presided over by Mrs. Patience Mills-Tetteh. He has been remanded into police custody to re-appear before the court on February 24, 2012.

The facts are that sometime in July 2006, in the town of Mozodoskiy in the republic of Russia, the accused person received an amount of 350,000 Ruble from one K. Tsalkosov and A. Danilov under the pretext of supplying them with quantities of wheat.

According to the prosecutor, ASP Mary Agbozo, upon receipt of the said amount, the accused person failed to execute the contract and kept the money for his personal use, and thereafter went into hiding.

She said a criminal proceeding was instituted against him and an arrest warrant was issued on December 12, 2008, by the Mozodoskiy District Court of Republic of Russia and signed by Judge A.I. Laliev.

She mentioned that Interpol Moscow then circulated a red notice alert on October 21, 2009 requesting all Interpol member countries to be on the lookout, arrest and detain the accused person to face trial.

"The message also hinted that the accused person was suspected to be hiding in Ghana introducing himself as the director of geology of F.E.S Mineral Company Limited based in Winneba. Interpol in Accra informed the intelligence unit service within the said location to be on the lookout for the accused person" the prosecutor added.

ASP Agbozo stated that the accused person was subsequently arrested by the Winneba Police and handed over to the Interpol Accra on February 9, 2012 for further action. She said the accused person is currently detained at the cid head quarters pending extradition process.