Richard Gyedu Appiah, a sales agent, has been put before an Accra Circuit Court charged with fraud.

Appiah is said to have collected GHC 35,071 worth of MTN Scratch cards under the pretext of supplying them to a customer and return the money but after collecting the cards failed to return the money and went into hiding.

The Police at Osu however smoked him out of his hideout after a report was made to them.

Appiah told the Police that he used proceeds of the scratch cards to pay his debt and when given some time, he would raise the amount involved.

Appiah has denied the charge of defrauding by false pretences and he has been admitted to bail in the sum of GHC 40,000 with two sureties.

The Court presided over by Mrs Priscilla Dapaah Mireku ordered Appiah to return to court on February 11.

Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evans Jesse said the complainant was Madam Josephine Boafo a businesswoman, residing at Madina, Accra.

ASP Kesse said the accused was a sales agent of a telecommunication firm which were wholesalers MTN Scratch cards.

Prosecution said Appiah in the month of December last year, went to the complainant that he needed MTN Scratch cards worth GHC35,071.00 to supply to his customer.

The Prosecutor said the complainant who trusted Appiah so much, gave him the scratch cards.

After collecting the scratch cards, ASP Kesse said Appiah failed to return the money and went into hiding.

Prosecution said the complainant made several calls to the accused to return the money but he failed to return the money.

The Prosecutor said a report was made to the Police at Osu who nabbed Appiah from his hideout.

When questioned over the sale of the scratch cards, Appiah told the Police that he sold them and he used the proceeds to defray his debt.

Accused further informed the Police that he could raise the money when he is given some time.