Tema, June 22, GNA - Proceedings at the Tema Circuit Court 'B' ended abruptly on Wednesday when an old lady's mobile phone rang 10 minutes after the judge had warned against phones ringing during proceedings.

Mr Nicholas Mensah Abodakpi, the presiding judge, had warned of ending proceedings in the middle of a case should a phone ring after two phones belonging to lawyers rang.

He ordered the court clerk to close the court the moment the phone started ringing without stating the fate of the three accused persons charged with conspiracy and defrauding by false pretence. The accused persons were Kingsley Asamoah, Charles Bediako Badu and Jonas Amoah.

They pleaded not guilty and a fourth person Adjei is at large. District Superintendent of Police (DSP) Duuti Tuakurah told the court that the three accused persons defrauded a self employed man of 72 million cedis under the pretext of clearing two cars at the Tema harbour for him to buy.

He said the complainant expressed interest in helping three of the accused persons to clear the cars they claimed had been shipped to them by their brother in Europe.

They demanded the 72 million cedis and connived with Amoah who charged 10 percent of the amount. He said after the accused persons had shown fake Custom Excise Preventive Service (CEPS) documents to the complainant, they took him to the harbour and showed him some three cars parked there as the ones to be cleared.

After parting with the money, the complainant could not locate them and he lodged a complaint with the Tema Community Two police who arrested Amoah. Amoah's family then arrested one of the accused who confessed taking eight million cedis as his share.