Two Nigerians in court for fraud
Two Nigerians who allegedly defrauded a United Kingdom based businesswoman of $116,000 under the pretext of transporting two trunks of gold to her have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
The accused are said to have also forged documents such as Certificate of ownership from the Ministry of Interior, Benin and certificates of deposit in name of NECODI Group of companies.
Kazeem Alade aka Hassan and Mohammed Gbanjo charged with conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretences and Forgery have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court presided over by Mrs. Ruby Naa A. Qauison admitted them to bail in the sum of GH¢465,000.00 with four sureties one to be justified. They are to reappear on February 7.
Prosecution said the complainant Louisa Dewar hails from the United Kingdom but currently resides in Ghana. The accused persons have live in Ghana for over a year.
According to prosecution, Alade introduced himself as a businessman from Guinea and told the complainant that he had two trunks of gold which was deposited in a security house in Guinea and would sell same to her after payments.
Alade gave the complainant some fake documents to confirm that he owns two trunks of gold and that he inherited same from his family in Guinea.
Based on those facts Alade succeeded in collecting $74,000.00 under the pretext of going to Benin to bring the gold.
Alade further collected $42,000.00 saying he personally had some consignment of which he would sell to her. After collecting the money, Alade went into hiding.
Prosecution said Alade before absconding introduced Michael Wale a witness in the case to the complainant as someone who had some of the gold and Michael also collected $10,000.
The prosecutor said complainant reported Wale to the Police and he (Wale) was arrested together with Femi Aminu. Wale however refunded the money he collected from the complaint.
Alade and Gbanjo were picked by the Police when they were lured to come for more money.
Alade told the Police that he only collected GH¢1,500 as transportation from Benin and denied defrauding the complainant of the alleged money.
Source: GNA