Businessman defrauds colleagues of 356 million cedis

Accra, Jan. 9, GNA - A businessman who allegedly collected 356 million cedis from 30 complainants under the pretext of funding a salt business but failed to do so and went into hiding has been nabbed by the Police

Appearing at a Circuit Court in Accra, Alhassan Moshie pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences and he was remanded in custody to reappear on January 12, 2007.

Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) George Abavelim said the complainants were Malians and businessmen at Tudu, in Accra.

In November 2006, Moshie approached them that he had obtained a contract to supply salt to a customer in Niger and he thus wanted the complainants to pre-finance the business and to share the profit two weeks later.

Moshie succeeded in collecting 356,900,500 cedis from the complainants and went into hiding.

Six weeks later he was apprehended and when Moshie was asked to refund the money, he claimed robbers had attacked him and taken the money away.

Moshie said since he could not stand the physical attack from the complainants he decided to go and hide. Prosecution said Moshie did not report the robbery incident to the Police.