By Charles Tawiah
Nkawie (Ash), May 7, GNA – The Nkawie Circuit Court in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality has remanded a 48-year-old factory worker into police custody for allegedly defrauding his colleague under false pretences.
The accused, Kingsley Yeboah, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences and would reappear before the court on May 20, 2026.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Frank Acheampong, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mr Robert Addo that the complainant, Esther Owusu, and the accused were both staff of New Okaff Agro-Chemical Company at Nkawie.
He said the complainant resided at Akrofrom while Yeboah lived at Abuakwa.
According to the prosecution, in January this year, the complainant informed Yeboah about her intention to travel abroad.
Yeboah allegedly told her that one Kofi Sarpong, currently at large, was his brother, a medical practitioner resident in the United Kingdom, who could assist her to secure a visa and other travel documents.
ASP Acheampong said Yeboah subsequently called Sarpong on phone using a United Kingdom telephone number to convince the complainant, after which they agreed on an amount of GH¢150,000 for the travel arrangements.
The complainant then paid GH¢70,000 to Yeboah.
Prosecution said Sarpong later sent purported visa documents to the complainant and demanded an additional GH¢12,000, which she also paid through Yeboah.
However, after making the second payment, the complainant was allegedly given different excuses and assurances.
Suspicious of the development, she verified the documents at the United Kingdom Embassy in Ghana and discovered that they were fake.
She subsequently reported the matter to the Nkawie Police.
The court heard that on April 14, 2026, Yeboah allegedly arranged a meeting between the complainant and Sarpong at a hotel at Atwima Agogo for the payment of an additional GH¢25,000 for a plane ticket.
The complainant, however, alerted the police, who proceeded to the hotel.
Upon seeing the police, Sarpong escaped while Yeboah was arrested.
ASP Acheampong told the court that in his caution statement, Yeboah admitted receiving GH¢70,000 from the complainant and had refunded GH¢24,000.
Following investigations, he was charged and brought before the court.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Lydia Kukua Asamoah