An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced Bismark Obeng to 10 years imprisonment over auto fraud.
Obeng, a trader, is said to have collected GHC198,000 from one Mawulolo Ametame under the pretext of selling to him unregistered Honda CR-V 4×4 vehicle, year 2020 model but failed.
Obeng is said to have conspired with Gideon Wiafe and one Owusu, both at large.
Charged with conspiracy to commit crime namely defrauding by false pretences and defrauding by false pretences, Obeng pleaded not guilty.
The court after a full trial found Obeng guilty on each of the charges and sentenced him to 10 year jail term on each of the charges.
Sentences are to run concurrently.
The court further ordered the accused person to pay GHC 70,000 as restitution to the complainant.
Prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong said the complainant Mawulolo Ametame is draughtsman and a resident of North Legon.
ASP Frimpong said Mawunyemo Ametame is a brother of the complainant and witness in the case.
Prosecution said Obeng is a resident of Pokuase-Amanfrom.
On November 8, 2022, the complainant Mawulolo Ametame came across an advertisement of a Honda CR-V 4×4 Vehicle, year 2020 model on Jiiji.com, an online trading site with a price of GHC198,000 displayed on it for sale.
Prosecution said the complainant then contacted Obeng and they agreed to meet for negotiation.
ASP Frimpong said Obeng responded to the complainant’s call and introduced himself as a cousin.
On November 10, 2022, the complainant together with his brother Mawunyemo, met Obeng at Cal Bank- Madina branch in Accra for the transaction to be sealed but Obeng out of malice failed to produce the vehicle documents during the transaction.
The court heard that the complainant then withdrew the money and handed over same to his brother Mawunyemo while he (complainant) proceeded to Legon Campus with Obeng to meet the second accused person, Gideon Wiafe for the documents.
Prosecution said Obeng and Wiafe succeeded in obtaining the complainant’s consent and took cash in the sum of GHC198,000 during the inspection of the vehicle and bolted.
According to the prosecutor, the complainant then petitioned the Director-General of CID for investigations to commence.
On January 26, 2023, Obeng was arrested at Amansaman-Fise by the Auto-theft Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department, Headquarters and in an attempt to defraud another victim, with the same vehicle used to defraud the complainant.
Prosecution said on January 30, 2023, Obeng was handed over to the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit of CID headquarters for further investigations.
During interrogation Obeng admitted having defrauded the complainant together with Gideon Wiafe and one Owusu who witnessed the offence of fraud.
Obeng admitted that he received cash of GHC20,000 as his share from the booty.
On January 31, 2023 an identification parade was conducted at the forecourt of the CID headquarters and Obeng was identified by the complainant as the person who defrauded him together with one other person.