Minister?s Woman In Tears

Mrs. Elizabeth Agyapong, the woman who was arrested by the Police last Thursday for allegedly defrauding a number of persons in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi and accusing a deputy minister of engaging in cocaine and ritual killings wept when she made her first appearance in court. Amidst sobs outside the court room, Elizabeth who gave her name as Sharitu Abdulraman who hails from Bolgatanga, when she was eventually captured by a police team, accused the Deputy Minister, Hon. Kofi Osei Ameyaw of instigating the court action against her. Hon Osei Ameyaw, is the Deputy Minister for Trade & Industry and Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuagyaman.

She wept and said in Akan Onyame be di masem ama me to wit ?God Will Determine My Case For Me?, as she made determined efforts to avoid her photograph being taken by the paparazzi.

She added ?I know Hon Kofi Osei Ameyaw instigated this court action against me, but I am innocent she stated as she demanded a bottle of malt from her handlers saying she was hungry.?

Elizabeth Agyapong, who was earlier arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court, pleaded not guilty to three counts of defrauding by false pretence and has been remanded in police custody while the case has been adjourned to April 27, 2006 for further hearing.

Presenting the facts of the case, the prosecuting officer, ASP George Abavelim, told the court the accused, Elizabeth collected various items from three complainants with the promise of paying the money but failed to do so and absconded.

He said in March 2006 Lizzy contacted the first complainant, Gabriel Asante, through a certain Solomon and collected 69 pieces of mobile phones, worth ?52,150,000.00 with the promise of paying the money the same day but failed to honour her word and disappeared.

After absconding with the mobile phones that same month, she went to the second complainant, Mavis Annor and collected 129 pieces of wax prints valued at ?48,500,000.00 and disappeared.

Lizzy again went to Saman Mohammed, the third complainant within the same month and collected his Nissan Altima Saloon car, GW 124 S valued at ?35m also with the promise of paying the same day but went into hiding after collecting the car.

On April 12, 2006, the complainants learnt of the arrest of the accused and made a dash to the Police CID headquarters where they identified her as the one who defrauded them, she admitted the allegations and was accordingly charged with the offence.

The prosecuting officer, was however quick to add that the case is still under investigation as more complaints against her were being lodged at the Police CID headquarters in Accra, adding that ?My Lord, we will make more evidence available, after the investigations.?

Counsel for Lizzy, Yussif Nashiru prayed the court to grant his client bail, because that was the first time the case was brought before court. He however admitted that his client entered into a business agreement with the complainants but said the figures were inflated.