A businessman, 33-year-old Andrews Amoah Ampaw, is facing charges at the Achimota Circuit Court for allegedly tricking a reverend minister out of $57,000 with the promise of buying him a Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle.
At the court last week, Ampaw pleaded not guilty to the charges of defrauding by false pretences.
According to the police, Ampaw was apprehended by the Ghana Immigration Service officials at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) while attempting to leave the country.
The presiding Judge, Mr Isaac Addo, granted bail to Ampaw in the amount of GH¢ 800,000. with two sureties who must prove ownership of a landed property.
Additionally, Ampaw was ordered to surrender his passport to the court registry until further notice and to report to the case investigator every Friday. The case has been adjourned to March 27, 2024.
Facts of the case
Presenting the case before the court, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Ahiale said the complainant, who is also an administrator of a prominent church, had entrusted Ampaw with the money.
He added that Ampaw, residing at Weija SCC in Accra, had allegedly taken the said amount from the complainant on June 29, 2023, with the promise to procure a 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser from Dubai for the church.
Efforts to locate Ampaw to recover the money initially were fruitless. He was eventually apprehended on February 12, 2024, at KIA while attempting to leave the country and subsequently handed over to officers of the Legon Police Station.
The complainant identified Ampaw upon his arrest. Ampaw confessed to the crime during interrogation.
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