A businessman and three others, currently at large, who allegedly defrauded a woman of GH¢850,000, have been put before an Accra Circuit Court.

Francis Appeynarh and his accomplices, identified as Boakye, Dr Samir Kazi, and one Baffour, are alleged to have asked the complainant to supply them with 3,000 bags of maize worth GH¢850,000 for industrial use.

According to the prosecution, the maize was urgently needed to feed poultry on a farm the accused persons were allegedly operating. However, after the complainant supplied the maize, the accused refused to answer her calls and went ahead to sell the maize below the market price without making any payment.

Appeynarh and his accomplices have been charged with conspiracy to defraud and defrauding by false pretences.

Appeynarh has pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Mrs. Susuna Eduful, admitted Appeynarh to bail in the sum of GH¢800,000 with two sureties, each earning not less than GH¢3,000. The matter has been adjourned to October 27, 2025, as police intensify efforts to arrest the other accomplices still at large.

Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Godwin Wemegah, told the court that the complainant, Gifty Ndoma, is a businesswoman whose company deals in the purchase of grains in Ejura.

He said the accused persons operated under the business name Earth Organisation Ghana, based in Accra.

In August 2025, an accomplice, who is still at large, approached the complainant with claims that a company in Accra needed large quantities of maize for industrial use. He then introduced Dr. Samir Kazi, the third accused, as the owner of the company.

Dr Kazi subsequently introduced Appeynarh, Boakye, and Baffour as his business partners. The accused persons allegedly convinced the complainant that they urgently needed 3,000 bags of maize to feed their poultry.

“They bargained to purchase the said 3,000 bags of maize, each weighing 50kg, at a total cost of GH¢850,000 and promised to credit the complainant as soon as the maize was supplied,” the prosecution said.

Between August 23 and 27, 2025, the complainant delivered the 3,000 bags of maize to the accused persons. However, after receiving the goods, they failed to answer her calls and avoided her completely.

The complainant subsequently lodged a complaint with the police, leading to investigations.

Police traced the maize to a commercial warehouse at Gulf City, near Ashaiman, where the accused had stored the consignment.

Appeynarh was later arrested, and investigations revealed that the accused had no intention of using the maize to feed poultry.

Instead, they sold the bags below market price to dispose of them quickly. Out of the 3,000 bags, 1,951 were sold, while 1,049 bags were retrieved by the police. An amount of GH¢95,000 was also recovered from Appeynarh.

“Investigations further revealed that it was Appeynarh who received the 3,000 bags of maize from the complainant’s truck at the Tema Roundabout, arranged the warehouse, and lodged the consignment there,” the prosecutor told the court.

Sales proceeds from the 1,951 bags of maize were allegedly shared among the four accused persons.

The prosecution added that efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining maize and apprehend the accomplices still at large.