Two persons charged with stealing

Accra, Oct. 5, GNA - Two persons on Tuesday appeared before a circuit tribunal in Accra charged with duping Mr John Varagnat, an American who wanted to go into gold business with them.

Moses Kofi Tei, 50, a trader and Nana Afrifa Yeboah, 52, a farmer were charged with conspiracy and stealing. They pleaded not guilty and were granted 10 million cedis bail with a surety each to reappear on October 11. One Kwasi Kyei Darkwa and other accomplices are on the run.

The tribunal chaired by Mr Charles Nyewolema ordered that, an Urvan bus bought by the complainant for the business, which the accused reportedly said was impounded by the Police, should be released to Mr Varagnat.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Winfred Ansah-Akrofi said Mr Varagnat is based in Los Angeles and works as a private security investigator, while the accused persons are all Ghanaians.

The accused persons invited Mr Varagnat into the country to carry out gold business and send the products to agents in America. ASP Ansah-Akrofi said Darkwa and others met Mr Varagnat on arrival and later introduced him to Tei and Yeboah as chiefs, who had gold to sell.

They told Mr Varagnat that they would sell 100 kilograms of gold to him at 500 dollars per one kilogram. The prosecutor said Darkwa persuaded Mr Varagnat to give out 12.5 million cedis to purchase an Urvan bus, which he registered in his name, ostensibly to cart the product from Ghana to the Republic of Benin.

He said on September 27, Tei approached Mr Varagnat and informed him that the bus had been impounded and the gold seized by the Police and needed 35,000 dollars to get them released and rest to pay workers.

ASP Ansah-Akrofi said Mr Varagnat was not convinced about the development and alerted the Police, who arrested Tei and Yeboah.

It was also alleged that the suspects collected one computer and unspecified sums of money from the complainant in the course of the transactions