The Accra Circuit Court has granted bail to an entrepreneur, for allegedly defrauding a businesswoman of GH¢100,000.
The accused took the money from the businesswoman, under the pretext of importing a 40-footer container of second-hand home appliances from Germany, but failed.
Annabel Osei, charged with conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretense, pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution, Police Chief Inspector Benson Benneh, did not oppose bail application made by the counsel for the accused, but said the court should grant the accused bail that would compel her to appear before court at any time.
The prosecution said “the accused does not have a fixed place of abode because she took the police to a wooden structure where she lives.”
The court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah admitted the accused to GH¢200,000 bail with three sureties, and directed that one of the sureties should be a civil servant.
The prosecution was ordered by the court to file and serve all disclosures and witness statements.
Meanwhile, accomplice, Mr Kwaku Boadi, who is the father of the accused, is currently at large.
The matter has been adjourned to April 12, 2023.
Chief Insp Benneh told the court that the complainant, Madam Margaret Nelson Coffie, was a businesswoman while Madam Osei resided at Awoshie, in Accra.
The prosecution said about six months ago, Rita Pokuaa, a witness in the case, introduced Osei, and her father to the complainant as an importer, who imported goods from Germany to Ghana.
Chief Insp Benneh said the accused and her father convince the complainant that if she could pay GH¢150,000 to them, they could supply her a 40-footer-container of second-hand home appliances, such as microwaves, blenders, television sets, rice cookers and kettles, from Germany.
The prosecution said the accused and her father collected GH¢100,000 from the complainant through the accused ADB’s Bank accounts with a promise to deliver the appliances (goods) within two weeks.
Chief Insp Benneh said the accused after collecting the amount, went into hiding and all efforts by the complainant to trace their whereabouts were not successful, and the complaint reported the case to the police.
The prosecution said when the accused was arrested, she admitted the offence in her cautioned statement, and refunded GH¢20,000 to the police and the money was handed over to the complainant. —GNA
