By Gifty Amofa
Accra, May 6, GNA – Samed Shaibu, a self-styled businessman accused of USD35,000 car fraud, has been granted GHC350,000.00 bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
Shaibu denied accepting money from the complainant, Kailanani Suraji, on the pretext of providing him with a Honda CRV 2018 model vehicle.
He was directed by the Court, presided over by Mr Isaac Oheneba Kuffour, to appear on June 4, 2024.
The police are looking for Derrick Morgan, who is suspected to be his accomplice and is presently on the run.
According to Police Chief Inspector Daniel Ofori-Appiah, the complainant is a student based in the United States of America and Ghana, while the accused, Shaibu, is a self-styled businessman living in Kwabenya.
He told the Court that in October 2023, the complainant intended to enter the automobile business but did not have a bidding license. Based on that, he contacted a witness, who also introduced him to the accused.
The prosecution said the complainant and the accused had a lengthy talk about the business before the complainant told Shaibu that he needed a Honda CRV 2018.
The accused charged USD35,000 to bid on the car for the complainant.
The Court heard that the accused then offered an address for the money to be delivered through the mail, which the complainant did, and that Shaibu further promised the complainant that if he failed to receive the money at the address provided, he would refund the funds.
After three weeks, the complainant received no response from the accused, and all attempts to contact him proved futile.
The court was told that on December 21, 2023, the complainant made a formal complaint with the police, which resulted in the arrest of the accused and his accomplice Morgan, but the accused told the police that Morgan was not his accomplice.
During interrogation, the accused admitted that Morgan was his accomplice, but he was afraid because Morgan had asked him not to include him in the case.
Shaibu admitted the offence and offered to have his unregistered 2019 Honda Pilot kept at the police station until he refunded the USD35,000.
The prosecution said on January 17, 2024, Shaibu refunded GH¢30,000.00 but he could not lead the police to arrest his accomplice.
Shaibu was then charged with the offence as efforts were made to apprehend Morgan to help with the investigation.
GNA