Cape Coast, Sept 09, GNA - Three persons who allegedly duped an official of a church of 13.4 million cedis under the pretext of acquiring new premises for the church have been granted a total bail of 60 million cedis by a circuit at Cape Coast.

Francis Acquah, a businessman, Alex Ekuban, an auditor and Susie Acquah, a housewife, all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and fraud and were granted 20 million cedis each and a surety each to be justified until October 6.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Augustine Amonoo, told the court on Thursday that sometime this year Mr Ransford Aidoo, an Executive Officer of the Royal House Chapel, met the three persons in the Cape Coast branch of the church and discussed with them plans to acquire new premises for the church.

He alleged that the accused persons later told Mr Aidoo and some executive members of the church from Accra that they had acquired a place at Bakaano and that the landlady had agreed to rent the place for three years at a rent of 10.8 million cedis.

They expressed interest and offered to make a part payment of 5 million cedis but the accused persons insisted on full payment. The accused persons also promised to get a residential accommodation for the pastor at a rent of 2.6 million cedis, bringing the total amount of rent to 13.4 million cedis.

The three later told Mr Aidoo that they had paid seven million cedis as part payment to the landlady because she needed money urgently for her son's funeral.

They then asked him to endeavour to pay the 13.4 million cedis as early as possible if they did not want to lose the place.

In June Mr Aidoo, accompanied by other executive members of the church, brought the 13.4 million cedis to the accused persons. However, the accused persons refused to take them to the landlady and when they later located her she denied collecting money from the accused persons.