Court remands carpenter over GH¢300,000 land fraud

A 51-year-old carpenter, who allegedly collected GH¢300,000 from an entrepreneur under the pretext of providing him land for a factory, but failed, has been remanded into police custody.

Solomon Boye Borquaye, is said to have collected the money to provide 9.81 acres of land at Oyibi to the complainant.

Charged with defrauding by false pretenses, Borquaye pleaded not guilty.

The accused person is expected to reappear before the court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah on August 10, 2023.

Mr J. K. Yeboah, who represented Borquaye, prayed for bail for his client saying the accused person had a fixed place of abode and would turn up in court when granted bail.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Richard Amoah, opposed the grant of bail to the accused person.

According to prosecution, Borquaye’s conduct before another Circuit Court indicated that he would not be available for trial.

The accused person was, therefore, remanded by the trial judge.

The case of prosecution is that the complainant name withheld is a 33-year-old entrepreneur and a resident of Osu, Accra, while the accused resides at Oyibi.

The prosecution said in August 2020, the complainant needed a parcel of land to purchase for a factory project.

It said the complainant was led to the accused person by a land agent and after various considerations he agreed to offer him 9.81 acres of land at Oyibi at a cost of GH¢1,200,000.

The prosecution said the complainant entered into an agreement that an initial deposit of GH¢300,000 would be made and the rest paid later.

It said on August 24, 2020, one Sampson Aaron Dontoh, a Director of SPB Development Company, went to the site where the land was being developed and claimed ownership.

The prosecution said Mr Dontoh indicated that the said land had been registered in the name of his Company and same was affected by Land Title Certificate number TDA 0567.

The complainant informed the accused person about the development, and Borquaye offered him another land, but one Ibrahim Mahama aso claimed ownership of it.

It said the complainant, therefore, reported the matter to the Police and when the accused was invited by the Police, he failed to show up.

It said attempts to reach the accused person on his phone had proved futile until investigations led to his arrest.

The prosecution said the accused in his caution statement admitted the offence.

Source: GNA