Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Source: mynewsgh.com

Jailed Tamale radio presenter to be released from prison today

Nuhu Abu-Hassan popularly known as DJ Maestro Nuhu Abu-Hassan popularly known as DJ Maestro

Barring any last minute changes, an incarcerated radio presenter in Tamale, Nuhu Abu-Hassan popularly known as DJ Maestro is expected to be released from Prison today Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

The former Drive Time Host of Tamale-based Zaa radio was in 2015 jailed by a Tamale Circuit Court Presided over His Honour Senyo Amedahe to four years in prison for defrauding by false pretences.

Grapevine sources indicate that he is likely to land a job as a presenter of one of the radio stations within the Tamale Metropolis upon his release later today though management of the station is tight-lipped over the matter.

Background

In 2012 the convict duped a Member of the Federal Council of Germany Hans Dieter Heirrich through the internet under various pretexts after the legislator expressed interest in investing in Northern Ghana.

The accused and his victim met through the internet during the last quarter of 2012 and struck some acquaintance with a view of doing business.

The German Legislator later expressed interest in owning a house in Tamale and asked if his new found friend could be of assistance which he responded in the affirmative.

Nuhu Abu Hassan was therefore advised to find out the quotations for him to wire money for the purposes of building a befitting house for him but the suspect took fake drawings and emailed to him as a bid to getting the money.

About 15,000 Euros was subsequently sent and after some months he, in turn, sent him pictures of houses that belonged to neighbors claiming that was the house he built with the money.

Unknown to him, the German legislator paid a surprise visit to Ghana and dashed to the north only to realize that he had been duped as there was no house as claimed by the former radio presenter.

The house purported to have been built was owned by someone who indicated he never sold the house and no one had ever expressed interest in buying it and later presented documents to buttress that fact.

A complaint was therefore lodged with the police leading to his arrest and in his caution statement admitted the offense but claimed his victim is a gay partner and the money was for compensation of their gay activities.

He tendered some nude pictures of himself to back his claim disclosing that part of the money was used in purchasing a Nissan Almera for GH? 16,000 and a parcel of land for GH? 18,000 and pleaded with the police to give him time to pay back the money.

He also admitted sending him the fake building plans and drawings all in his bid to defraud the German who has since left the country and given out his power of attorney to one Moses Azaare to ensure the prosecution of the case.

Counsel for the Complainant expressed worry at the way miscreants were driving away potential investors to the country through such schemes.

In pronouncing judgment, the trial judge also stated that his attitude was a major recipe in repelling potential investors to the north indicating that his conviction will serve as a deterrent to other fraudsters.