Accra, Dec. 21 GNA - A 48-year-old Businessman, who allegedly defrauded a trader under the pretext of supplying 693 million cedis worth of electrical goods to him, appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Barimah Obour Asamani, Chief Executive Officer of Crown Image Group, who is charged with defrauding by false pretences and issuing dud cheque, pleaded not guilty.

Asamani was granted 900 million cedis bail with two sureties to be justified. He is to reappear on January 21, 2005.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Benedicta Akolgo said the Complainant is a trader who deals in electrical goods at Cow Lane in Accra.

She said on October 22, 2003, a Witness in the case Mr Christopher Kwabena Kumi, Managing Director of Dadlick Limited, an Electrical Contracting Company in Accra, contacted the Complainant to supply some electrical goods for a contract he had received from Asamani. Police Chief Inspector Akolgo said the Complainant supplied electrical goods worth 692,391,000 cedis for electrical installation works at a factory at Bator in the Volta Region being undertaken by Asamani.

She said Asamani issued a post-dated cheque with the face value of 692,391,000 cedis to be cashed at the main branch of the National Investment Bank (NIB) in Accra for the payment of the goods supplied to Mr Kumi, who had already paid some money to the Complainant. The Prosecutor said when the cheque matured Asamani informed both

Mr Kumi and the Complainant not to present it to the Bank. She said Asamani explained that some monies that were to be paid into his Company's Account had not been paid; therefore, a new date would be given to them to withdraw the money.

Chief Inspector Akolgo said on June 22, 2004, when the cheque was presented to the Bank it was dishonoured and nothing was heard from Asamani.

She said on December 15, the Complainant spotted Asamani at the premises of an Accra Circuit Court and he raised the alarm and Asamani was arrested.