Circuit Court grants businessman bail for defrauding by false pretense

A businessman who allegedly took cash of $50,000 equivalent to GH¢600,000.00 from one Mr Henry Bruce under pretext of supplying him with sugar but failed has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

Mr Charles Douglas Opoku Fordjour, charged with defrauding by false pretense, pleaded not guilty.

The Court presided over by Mr Adelaide Abui Keddey admitted the accused person be bailed in the sum of GH¢600,000.00 with three sureties.

The Court ordered two of the sureties to be justified with landed property worth GH¢200,000.00.

Prosecution was also ordered by the Court to file and serve all disclosures and witness statements.

The case has been adjourned to December 29, 2022, for Case Management Conference (CMC).

Police Chief Inspector Maxwell Ayim, prosecuting, told the Court that the complainant, Mr Henry Bruce is a business executive and resided at Kwabenya while the accused person was a resident of Cantonment.

The prosecution said in 2020, the accused person was introduced to the complainant by one David Anderson, a witness in the case.

Chief Inspector Ayim said the complainant and the accused person became friends for a period until one day when the complainant expressed his desire to get letter of credit for importation of sugar.

The prosecution said the accused person told the complainant he could get the letter of credit and import the sugar in a large quantity for him.

Chief Inspector Ayim said the accused person demanded and collected $50,000 equivalent to GHS600,000.00 from the complainant to enable him to get the quantity of sugar he needed but failed.

The prosecution said the complainant waited for close to two years after stories upon stories from the complainant.

Chief Inspector Ayim said on January 30, 2022, the complainant reported the matter to the police and the accused person was arrested.

The prosecution said the accused person admitted the offence in his cautioned statement.

Source: GNA