By Joyce Danso
Accra, Feb. 18, GNA – Two Nigerians and a Ghanaian have been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a United Arab Emirates national of $60,000 in a gold case.
The accused persons are Jacob Sunday Olatunji, a 39-year-old driver and Engineer, Israel Olawale Omoley, an Achitecture and Baffour Abraham, currently at large.
They have been jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit, defrauding and defrauding by false pretences.
Olatunji and Omoley have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo has admitted them to bail in the sum of GHC1 million each with sureties each.
The court further ordered the accused persons to deposit their passports in the court’s registry until directed otherwise.
The court granted them bail after defence counsel filed a motion for bail, saying the accused persons were married with children.
According to defence counsel, the accused persons would not “jump” bail and the charges preferred against them were available.
The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer left the grant of bail to the court’s ‘wisdom’.
The matter has been adjourned to February 20, 2024.
Prosecution earlier told the court that the complainant Farhad Omedi, is a national of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai.
Olatunji and Omoley are Nigerians residing at Dawhenya and Lakeside in Accra, respectively.
The prosecution said in January 2024, one Abass, currently in Dubai introduced the complainant to Baffour now at large as a gold dealer living in Ghana.
Prosecution said after the introduction, complainant and Baffour started having various conversations and Baffour sent the complainant an invitation visa in the name of Mpohor Mines Company in the Western Region to enable the complainant to travel to Ghana for them to start business.
On January 22, this year, the complainant arrived in Ghana, and he was received by Olatunji, a driver to Baffour at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The Prosecution said when the complainant arrived, Olatunji and Baffour took him to “Time Security Company” at Achimota, Accra where 30 kilogrammes of gold bars were shown to the complainant to convince him that Baffour was a real dealer of gold.
According to the prosecutor, five kg of gold bars were randomly picked in the presence of the complainant for refinery testing.
The prosecution said Sewia Mining Limited at Achimota did the testing and all tested positive.
The court heard that the complainant became convinced and after calculation, he could afford One kg of gold priced at $60,000.
The prosecution said the necessary arrangements started for the gold to be transported to Dubai.
On January 30, 2024, the complainant and Baffour on board a Chang CS55 vehicle with registration number GW 1271-20 driven by Olatunji, proceeded to the KIA with one kg of gold bar brought by the complainant.
Prosecution said on arriving at KIA, Baffour called three Customs Officers to facilitate the documentation process to enable the complainant travel with the gold to Dubai.
The Prosecutor said the three Custom Officers came for the gold and promised to deliver same to the complainant at the final stage.
The complainant, the prosecutor said, was convinced seeing the Custom Officers in their uniforms.
Again, the complainant was not scared because he had his money ($60,000) in a box on board the vehicle and Olatunji was the driver at that time.
The prosecution said the complainant waited for some time but the three customs officers and Baffour were not forthcoming with the gold.
The complainant became worried and alighted from the vehicle to look around and make a call.
Immediately, the complainant alighted, and Olatunji sped off with the vehicle together with the $60,000.
The prosecution said efforts to trace Olatunji proved futile.
On February 2, 2024, a report was made to the Police and Intelligence led to the arrest of Olatunji and Omoley at their hideout at Dawhenya.
During a search, the Police retrieved five metal bars in yellowish colour, a small safe containing an amount of $3,500 in Omoley’s possession. The prosecution said Omoley told the Police that the metals and the $3,500 were given to him by Baffour.
It said efforts were underway to apprehend Baffour.
GNA