A 34-year-old legal practitioner, Divine Effah-Dartey, has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for his alleged role in a fraudulent excavator transaction that cost a businessman GH¢800,000.

Effah-Dartey is accused of abetting two other suspects to defraud the complainant under false pretences, after he allegedly received cash and issued documents for an excavator that did not belong to the sellers.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge of abetment of defrauding by false pretences. He was granted police enquiry bail following an application made by his father, retired naval officer Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey.

Also before the court were Mawuli Awadzi Amenyo, a 49-year-old carpenter, and Jiang Tao, a warehouse manager. Amenyo pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢400,000 with two sureties, one to be justified. Jiang Tao, charged with abetment, was also admitted to police enquiry bail.

A fourth suspect, Rishan Mahanta, is currently on the run and faces an additional charge of forgery.

Presiding judge Evelyn Asamoah adjourned the case to January 23, 2026, to allow police to continue investigations.