Accra, Feb. 10, GNA - A 49-year-old designer who allegedly defrauded a 70 year-old-retired teacher of 200 million cedis under the pretext of selling her a house at Mataheko in Accra on Thursday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court charged with fraud.

Vera Hammond pleaded not guilty and the court admitted her to 150 million cedis bail with a surety to reappear on February 17.

Chief Inspector Benedicta Akolgo, prosecuting, told the court that in April 2003 Vera who lives in Calgary, Canada, asked Benjamin Evans to look for someone to purchase her four-bedroom house at Mataheko. A retired teacher, whose name is being withheld, expressed interest and made part payment of 200 million cedis to Vera.

The prosecution said Vera gave her some of the keys to the house and a written agreement that all the documents covering the house would be given to her if she paid the balance of 70 million cedis by December 12, 2004. When the complainant contacted her after the date, Vera told her that she was no more interested in selling the house but she refused to refund the 200 million cedis.