Businessman sentenced for fraud

Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - An Accra circuit tribunal on Tuesday sentenced Enock Prince Boakye-Yiadom, a 71-year-old businessman, to 12 months' imprisonment in hard labour for collecting six million cedis from an unsuspecting traveller under the pretext of securing him travelling documents.

Boakye-Yiadom pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences. Police Inspector Alex Yartey Tawiah had told the tribunal, chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Anderson-Yeboah, that the complainant, Mr Charles Gasue, is a technician who has a store at Wireless at La in Accra.

He said Mr Gasue got to know Boakye-Yiadom who had been patronising his shop. Inspector Tawiah said during a conversation, Boakye-Yiadom told Mr Gasue that he had lived in Canada for over 26 years and was preparing to go back in view of economic hardships.

The prosecutor said the complainant expressed interest and, therefore, discussed the possibility of joining him to travel outside the country.

It was at this point that Boakye-Yiadom succeeded in collecting six million cedis from Mr Gasue for the processing of travelling documents but he bolted with the money.

He was, however, later arrested by Akim Oda Police through Mr Gasue's efforts.