Two Nigerians and a Ghanaian have been put before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a United Arab Emirates national of $60,000, in gold transaction.
The accused are Jacob Sunday Olatunji, a 39-year-old driver and engineer, Israel Olawale Omoley, an architect, and Baffour Abraham, currently at large.
They have been jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit, defrauding and defrauding by false pretences.
Olatunji and Omoley have pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo has granted them GH¢1 million bail each with sureties each.
The court ordered accused to deposit their passports at the court’s registry until directed otherwise.
Prosecution told the court that the complainant, Farhad Omedi, is a national of the United Arab Emirates, while Olatunji and Omoley were Nigerians residing at Dawhenya and Lakeside, in Accra, respectively.
Chief Insp Lawer said Abass, currently in Dubai, introduced the complainant to Baffour, as a gold dealer living in Ghana.
The court heard that Baffour sent an invitation visa in the name of Mpohor Mines Company, operating in the Western Region, to the complainant, to enable (him) complainant travel to Ghana to transact business with accused.
Chief Insp Lawer said when the complainant arrived in Ghana, he was received by Olatunji, at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The prosecution said Olatunji and Baffour took complainant to Time Security Company, at Achimota, Accra, where 30 kilogrammes of gold bars were shown to him (complainant), to convince him that Baffour was a genuine gold dealer.
According to Chief InspLawer, five kilogrammesof gold bars were randomly selected in the presence of the complainant and when the gold bars were tested at Sewia Mining Limited, at Achimota, the gold was tested positive.
The court heard that the complainant agreed to buy gold at $60,000 per one kilogramme, and arrangements were made for it (gold) to be transported to Dubai.
Chief Insp Lawer said the complainant and Baffour boarded a vehicle driven by Olatunji, and proceeded to the KIA with one kilogramme of gold bar brought by the complainant.
Prosecution said on arriving at KIA, Baffour called three customs officers to facilitate documentation, to enable the complainant travel with the gold to Dubai.
Chief Insp Lawer said the customs officers came for the gold and promised to deliver same to the complainant at the final stage of departure.
The complainant, the prosecution said, was convinced about the transaction, seeing the customs officers in their uniforms.
According to Chief Insp Lawer, the complainant had his money ($60,000) in a box in the vehicle,which Olatunji was driving.
Chief Insp Lawer said the complainant waited for some time but the three customs officers and Baffour were not forthcoming with the gold.
The court heard that immediately, the complainant alightedfrom the vehicle, Olatunji sped off together with the $60,000.
The prosecution said efforts to trace Olatunji proved futile, and a report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Olatunji and Omoley at Dawhenya.
Chief Insp Lawer said the police retrieved five metal bars in yellowish colourand a small safe containing $3,500 in Omoley’s possession.
The prosecution said Omoley told the police that the metals and $3,500 were given to him by Baffour, who had absconded.
GNA