An accountant of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department at the Mankranso District Assembly, in the Ashanti Region, has appeared before a circuit court here, for allegedly defrauding a tax officer.

Felix Kwame Fordjour, the accused, 36, was said to have defrauded a staff of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) of GHS88, 650.00

He pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretence and three counts of stealing.

The court, presided over by Mrs. Mary Nsenkyire, granted him bail of GHS120, 000.00 with two sureties to be justified, and would re-appear on February 28, 2017.

Prosecutor, Police Chief Inspector Hannah Acheampong, told the court that, Fordjour is an Accountant of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department at the Mankranso District Assembly in the Ashanti Region and the complainant, Erica Nkansah Frimpong, is a tax officer at the Suame branch of GRA, in Kumasi.

She said in June 2014, Fordjour went to the office of Erica in the course of his duty and through their (Fordjour and Frimpong) interactions, a friendship was established.

As a result, Erica sought the assistance of Fordjour to secure documents from his office for the operation of a company she had intended to operate as well as disclosing to him her intention to build a house which he willingly agreed to help with the documents and the supervision of the building of the house.

Prosecution said, between June 2014 and October 2015, Fordjour succeeded in taking monies totalling GHS45,150.00 from Erica, under the pretext of using it to buy 200 bags of cement, four tons of iron rods and five trips of sand for the building project, but failed to do so.

Forjour, during the same period again took 1,500 Dollars and GH¢2,000.00 from Erica to process the travelling documents of her two daughters to the United States of America, but pocketed the money.

The Prosecutor said, Fordjour on different occasions visited Erica in her house between December 2014 and January 2015 and collected unregistered Chevrolet 4×4 wheel drive worth GHS29, 000.00 and an Opel Astra Taxi with registration number GR 6405-, also valued at GHS6, 000.00 for sale.

Fordjour then told Erica that he had a friend who wanted a Chevrolet car to purchase and so it was agreed that he would take the cars to find out whether he (friend) was interested.

After taking the cars, Fordjour went into hiding till he was arrested at his hideout after Erica made a formal complaint to the Police at the Central Police Station.

Prosecution told the court that, investigations revealed Fordjour sold the two vehicles for GHS35, 000.00, and the monies he took from Erica were not used for their purpose.

In his caution statement, Fordjour admitted to the offence and was charged and arraigned before the court.