The Ashaiman Circuit Court has remanded into police custody a 41-year-old unemployed man, who allegedly swindled a 64-year-old widow of GHC¢10,000.
Emmanuel Godfred Amenuveve is said to have presented himself as a lawyer and charged the widow GH¢10,000 as legal fees in a civil suit.
However, after collecting the money and making a first appearance in the case, he failed to attend court to defend the widow, name withheld.
Charged with defrauding by false pretenses, Amenuveve has pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Mr Richard Delali Anku.
The accused is expected to reappear on September 8, 2022, for Case Management Conference.
The prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ernest Kwofie, Head of Legal and Prosecution, Ghana Police Service, Tema, said the complainant resided at Ashaiman Christian Village.
ASP Kwofie said Amenuveve resided at Anfoega in the Volta Region.
The prosecution said the complainant was a defendant in a civil case, which was pending before Circuit Court “A” Tema over the property of her husband.
According to the prosecutor, the complainant needed the services of a lawyer who could represent her in the suit.
It said a friend of the complainant introduced the accused person to her as a lawyer and the accused person demanded GH¢10,000 as legal fees.
The prosecutor said the complainant paid the money to the accused person and he told the complainant that because of her age, he would be representing her in court all the time during the trial.
The prosecution said the accused on his first appearance at the court introduced himself as a family member of the complainant and pleaded with the court to allow him to resolve the matter.
ASP Kwofie said on August 17 this year, when the matter was called, Amenuveve did not turn up in court.
When the complainant was asked by the court who her lawyer was, she mentioned the accused’s name as her lawyer
The prosecutor said one Lawyer Kuka, counsel for the plaintiff, informed the court that the accused person was not a lawyer.
ASP Kwofie said the complainant was advised by the court to report the accused to the Regional Criminal Investigation Department, Tema.
The prosecution said on August 22, this year, Amenuveve was nabbed and during interrogation it came to light that the accused person was not a lawyer.
Source: GNA