Frank Gadzekpo, Managing Director of SCOA (Ghana) Limited, who collected 200,000 dollars from the Ghana National Fire Service to supply them with a fire tender but failed to deliver was on Monday arraigned before a circuit tribunal in Accra.

Gadzekpo pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences and was granted bail in the sum of 200 million cedis with two sureties to be justified. He is scheduled to appear again on March 27.

Granting the bail, Mr Imoru Ziblim who chaired the tribunal ordered that the prosecution should find out the ownership of SCOA Ghana Limited.

Although the company is in liquidation, Mr. Ziblim said the Registrar General's Department should be made to appear in court on the next adjourned date to clarify issues.

Presenting the facts of the case, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Sarpong said in 1999, the company won a tender from the GNFS to supply a fire tender. 200,000 US dollars was paid by the Bank of Ghana to SCOA accordingly.

After receiving the money, Gadzekpo gave 10,000 dollars to IVECO Company Limited for the construction of the fire tender, the prosecutor said.

DSP Sarpong said Gadzekpo refused to make additional payment and, therefore, the tender was not delivered.

When the fire tender was not being delivered, the GNFS contacted the accused person who told them that he had given 10,000 dollars to IVECO and used 190,000 dollars.