General News of Tuesday, 28 September 2004

Source: GNA

US-based Ghanaian banker arrested for fraud

Sunyani Sept 28, GNA - Mr. Edward D'Twumasi, a Ghanaian banker resident in the United States, on Monday appeared before a Circuit Court at Fiapre, near Sunyani for defrauding Mr. Nicholas Kwabena Agyei-Kyeremeh, Managing Director of SKY FM radio station in Sunyani of 21,000 US dollars.

Mr. D' Twumasi pleaded not guilty to a charge of defrauding and was granted 200 million cedis bail with two sureties to be justified. He was also ordered to report to the Police every Friday at 1300 hours to assist in investigations until October 12, this year. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Alex Yartey Tawiah told the court presided over by Mr. John Owusu Gyamfi that the accused is a native of Abesim, near Sunyani but now resident in Fairburn, Georgia, USA.

He said between November 1996 and January 1997, one Freddie Agyeman and Mr. Agyei-Kyeremeh transferred 21,630 US dollars into the account of CCA Electronics in Fairburn, for the purchase of an FM radio transmitter through the accused.

Mr. D' Twumasi promised that if the amount was transferred into the account he could purchase the transmitter for shipment to FAGYEKOS Enterprise, the former name of company owning SKY FM.

DSP Tawiah said the accused in a letter to Mr. Agyei-Kyeremeh acknowledged receipt of 14,250 US dollars and directed that 7,377 US dollars be transferred to CCA Electronics in Georgia, USA. The prosecutor said after the money was transferred, the accused failed to ship the transmitter to Ghana and all efforts to get the money refunded proved futile.

He said the accused was not seen or heard from again by the complainant until August 3, this year when he was spotted at Abesim and he was arrested after a report to the police.