By Joyce Danso
Accra, Jan. 26, GNA- An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 24-year-old musician to five years imprisonment for defrauding an accountant of GHC94, 771.63.
Christian Yabani, who collected the amount from the accountant on the pretext of investing the monies failed to do so, was charged with defrauding by false pretence but pled guilty with explanation.
Yabani told the court that “what I did was bad, I am sorry,” adding that the complainant should forgive him.
The court presided over Mrs Rosemary Baah Tosu held the accused person’s defence.
“I have heard his plea for mitigation. However, I consider the persistent nature of such scams in recent times, and I believe I should give him a deterrent sentence,” the court said.
The Court further ordered the accused person to refund the money to the complainant.
The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Amoah told the Court that the Accountant, whose name was withheld, resided at Ablekuma while Yabani lived at Sogakope in the Volta Region.
The prosecution said in May 2022, Yabani whose contact number was 0249164924 sent the complainant a WhatsApp message and introduced himself as Mr Osei Quashie, an agent of World Remit in Ghana.
It said the accused per the WhatsApp message informed the complainant that any money invested in World Remit attracted a 100 per cent interest and encouraged the complainant to invest in the latter.
The court heard that Yabani also attached a photograph of a Ghana Card bearing the same name, Osei Quashie.
The prosecution said the complainant became interested and between May and October 2022, and sent a total amount of GHC94,771.63 to Yabani through three Vodafone cash account numbers which bore the names Mary Adzadeko, Andy Afanu and Mensah Fia, respectively.
It said the remaining amount was sent to Yabani by Express Pay at his request.
Yabani, however, failed to fulfil his promise of paying returns on the investments and refused to refund the complainant’s money after several demands.
The prosecution said a report was made to the Police and Yabani was arrested for a similar offence in Ho in the Volta Region.
It said during investigations the three Vodafone SIM cards were retrieved from Yabani who admitted the offence and refunded GHC15,000 to the Police.
GNA