Court grants couple GH₵200K bail each over alleged GH₵188,729 fraud

The couple who allegedly posed as importers of general commodities and took GH₵188,729.00 from some traders under the pretext of importing and supplying them with items have been admitted to bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

The accused persons are said to have imported the items and stored them at Winneba in the central region.

They are Irene Brown, a 27-year-old fashion designer, and Michael Abanga Bazie, a 33-year-old computer engineer.

They are jointly held on conspiracy to commit crime and 10 counts of defrauding by false pretense.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to their respective charges levelled against them.

The Court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo, admitted the accused persons to GH₵200,000.00 bail each with two sureties each.

It directed that the sureties should be justified with landed property.

The accused persons were also directed by the Court to report to the Police once a week.

The matter has been adjourned to August 9, 2023.

Police Chief Inspector Jonas Laweh, prosecuting told the Court that the complainants Madam Christabel Oduro, Matilda Kessie, Zenobia Ankamah, Faustina Ama Akorfa Soshie, Dedzo Enam Dora, Sandra Boateng, Augustina Abekah Coffie, Mabel Tetteh, Rosemary Agbasa, Juliana Ansah and Sandra Ofosuwaa are traders and resided at various suburbs within Accra while the accused persons were married couple and residents of Kasoa.

The prosecution said during 2022 and 2023, the accused persons created social media accounts namely Gold Gracious Import and Jewelry for less companies and advertised importation of general commodities including rice, tin of tomatoes, handbags, shoes and others on Facebook and other social media platforms.

It said the complainants saw the advertisement and contacted the accused persons to register their interest in buying the said items from them.

The prosecution said the accused persons demanded and collected a total sum of GH₵I88, 729 from the complainants under the pretext of importing and supplying them with gallons of cooking oil, bags of rice, home appliances, baby diapers, handbags among others.

It said the accused persons after collecting the said amount into their mobile money and bank accounts failed to supply the items and went into hiding.

The prosecution said a complaint was lodged to the Police and intelligence gathered led to the arrest of the accused persons from their hideout.

It said the accused persons admitted the offence in their investigation caution statements and stated that they have imported the items and stored them at Winneba in the central region.

The prosecution said preliminary investigation had hinted that about 300 persons have affected their scandalous act.