Businessman charged with fraud

Accra, Aug. 11, GNA - A Businessman, who allegedly defrauded a woman of 13,500 dollars under the pretext of selling his house to her in spite a High Court order placed on it, on Monday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court charged with fraud.

Kwabena Agyei Darko allegedly obtained a bank loan after using the house as collateral but defaulted in paying the loan. The bank, therefore, took legal action to defray the cost involved. But Darko, in spite the order, sold the house to a 69-year-old woman for 13,500 dollars after an Accra High Court and the bank had posted a court order selling the same house and land.

Darko has pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretences and has been admitted to a 150 million-cedi bail with a surety to be justified.

He is scheduled to reappear on August 25.

Inspector Emmanuel Boison told the court that in 2001, one Bonsu informed Mrs Alice Adu Poku, the complainant, that Darko was offering a piece of land attached to a building at Tantra Hill in Accra for sale Mrs Poku expressed interest and, therefore, inspected the land and the building.

The Prosecution said after the complainant had bargained to pay 18,000 dollars, she made part-payment of 13,500 dollars and Darko presented a receipt without the document on the land and the building. The complainant moved into the building ignorant of the fact that Darko had mortgaged the property to Merchant Bank after obtaining a loan and defaulted in payment.

"The complainant was also not aware that judgment had been delivered against the complainant at an Accra High Court and the Bank had, therefore, pasted a court order selling the land and the building," the Prosecutor said.

The Prosecution said Darko was asked to refund the money but he could not do so.