Businessman on GH¢200,000 bail for fraud

An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GH¢200,000 bail with two sureties to a businessman for allegedly defrauding four persons of GH¢190,000.00 under the pretext of giving them interest of 25 to 30 per cent monthly.

The Court, presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah, ordered that one of the sureties should deposit a title deed.

George Azasoo, the accused, was also ordered to deposit his passport with the Court’s Registry.

He has denied the offence and will reappear on August 20, 2020.

Police Inspector Samuel Ahiabor told the Court that the complainants: George Ayaba and Christiana Haligah, both security officers with the Ghana Airport Company, Elton Tagoe, an Entrepreneur, and Paul Asare, Information Technology Manager, were all residents of Accra.

He said Azasoo, a resident of Dansoman, in 2016 was introduced to Ayaba by one Bernard Ofori Tetteh, his childhood friend, who he claimed was into Forex/Bitcoins Trade Investment.

The prosecution said Ayaba then met the accused for more explanation on the investment and paid GH¢16,000.00 with the promise that he would benefit a monthly interest rate between 25 to 30 per cent on the principal for a period of one year.

Inspector Ahiabor said Tagoe and Asare, who were friends of Ayaba, were also told about the trade investment, of which the accused claimed to be the manager, and they invested GH¢40,000.00 into it.

He said Ayaba also convinced Haligah, a colleague at his work place, who also put in $134,000.

Prosecution said the accused, after collecting the monies, kept giving excuses and later relocated, thus, the complainants became suspicious and lodged a complaint at the Airport Police Station leading to his arrest.

Inspector Ahiabor said investigations revealed that Azasoo never invested the monies and he pleaded with the police he would refund it but he went into hiding and was re-arrested.

Source: GNA