NDC chairman hopeful convicted for fraud

A National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Ernest Kwame Ankrah, who is contesting for chairmanship position at Akwatia in the Eastern Region, has been convicted to a fine of GH¢36,000 by an Accra Circuit Court for defrauding a United Kingdom-based engineer.

He has also been asked by the court presided over by Ms Patricia Quansah to refund an amount of GH¢30,000 to the complainant.

In default, Ernest will serve a three-year prison term.

Delivering her judgment, Ms Quansah said the accused had been found guilty of two counts, including defrauding by false pretences and causing unlawful damage.

He was, therefore, sentenced to a fine of 3,000 penalty units which is equivalent to GH¢36,000. Besides, he is supposed to refund GH¢30,000 to the complainant.

Presenting the facts of the case to the court, the prosecutor in charge of the case, Superintendent Ernest Acheampong, said the complainant, Edward Bismark Bekoe, is a Ghanaian engineer domiciled in the United Kingdom (UK), while the accused person is a farmer and a resident of Akwatia in the Eastern Region.

In 2012, the complainant showed interest in acquiring a ‘gold land’ to do mining business at Akwatia.

He approached the accused person who assured him of getting the land for him at a cost of GH¢70,000 together with the processing.

The complainant agreed and offered to give a Mitsubishi 4×4 Bolero valued at GH¢40,000 to the complainant to be sold and the proceeds used as part payment of the said amount.

However, upon receipt of the said vehicle, the accused person reneged on his promise to secure the land for the complainant and all efforts to get hold of documents covering the land proved unsuccessful.

A report was made to the police and the accused person was later arrested.

Investigations revealed that the accused person rather used the car to do his business, causing major damage to the engine and many other parts of the car worth GH¢20,000.

After investigations, he was charged with the offences.