Gold swindler charged for fraud

George  Aboagye, alias Frimpong Dacosta, a trader, who allegedly duped Bernard Serge, a French national, of €53,000, appeared before a circuit in Accra.

The trader and Nana Osei, now at large, pretended to supply their victim with gold bar .

Aboagye, who was charged with conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretence,  pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was admitted to GHc100, 000 bail with two sureties.

Chief Inspector Patrick Hanson said in January last year, the complainant, Serge,  came to Ghana and met Nana Osei at De Temple restaurant at Achimota.

Nana Osei introduced himself to the complainant as a chief, who deals in gold.

The prosecution said Aboagye and Nana Osei took Serge to Akim Osenase in the Eastern Region, and showed him a mining pit as his mining concession, and they could supply him with gold.

Chief Insp. Hanson said the complainant negotiated to buy gold from Aboagye and Nana Osei.

He said on their return to Accra, Nana Osei gave yellowish substance as sample of gold to Aboagye, who together with the complainant, took the sample to Geological Survey Department where it was tested to be gold.

He said Aboagye and Nana Osei finally sold a yellowish bar suspected to be two Kilograms of gold to the complainant at€53,000.

Chief Insp. Hanson said the complainant on receipt of the yellowish bar suspected it was not gold and reported the matter to the police.

He said upon examination at the Precious Minerals Marketing Company Limited it was detected that the yellowish bar was not gold.

He said on November 17, 2011, Aboagye was arrested from his hideout, and when he was released on police enquiry bail to assist investigations, he absconded.

Chief Insp. Hanson said on August 30, 2012, Aboagye was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters for similar offence.

Source: GNA