Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 19 September 2023

Source: GNA

Court remands, defers sentence of couple over GHC1.6 million fraud

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An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a couple into police custody for a double sale of their four-bedroom property in East Legon to two people.

Vera Nartey alias Akosua Kyerewaah and Nosah Ekhator were remanded by the court presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah.

The couple, after going through a full trial, had their sentence deferred to October 2, 2023, by the court.

The two, charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretences, pleaded not guilty.

They were earlier admitted to bail in the sum of GHC1.5 million cedis each when the trial began in October 2022.

As part of their bail conditions, they were required to provide three sureties, two of whom had to be civil servants earning at least GHC 2,000 per month.

According to the court, each of the sureties should be justified.

It was the case of the prosecution that the complainant Godwin Kwame Avadu Donkor, is a businessman who lives in Adenta, Accra.

According to the prosecution, Vera is a businesswoman and Ekahtor is a businessman who both live in East Legon.

The prosecution said Donkor contacted the accused in January 2022 to buy a house for his family.

Vera and Ekahtor told Donkor that they had a four-bedroom story building and that if he paid $290,000, they would sell it to him.

The prosecutor said the accused persons took Donkor to East Legon during the same month and showed him the building for sale.

After inspecting the property, Donkor expressed interest and bargained with them.

On January 28, 2022, Donkor paid GHC1, 663, 200 to the accused persons.

The prosecution said after Donkor made the payment, the accused person failed to hand over the property to him and instead resold it to one Emmanuel.

The prosecutor became alarmed and reported the matter to the police on October 2, 2022.

On October 3, 2022, Vera and Ekahtor were arrested, and they admitted the offence.

According to the prosecution, the couple promised to refund Donkor’s money but failed to do so.

Police investigations revealed that the accused persons resold the house to one Emmanuel.