Tribunal jails four persons in gold deal

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 May '99

A circuit tribunal in Accra on Monday sentenced four persons, three of them in absentia, to three years' imprisonment each in hard labour when it found them guilty for defrauding a foreigner of 38.6 million cedis under the pretext of selling gold to him.

Nana Frank Hagan, a self-styled gold dealer, was present in court, but Iddrisu Musah, Chief Amoafu and one Armah, all accomplices in the case, were sentenced in absentia.

Another accomplice, Kofi Ayigbe was fined three million cedis. He will go to prison for one year in default.

It, however, acquitted and discharged Niikinao Lutterodt, a driver, who was charged with the same offence, for lack of evidence.

Hagan, Ayigbe and Lutterodt pleaded not guilty.

The tribunal told the complainant, Mr Gerald Guice, an African American, that he could take civil action to recover the amount.

The prosecution said in May 1997, Hagan came into contact with the complainant and promised to sell five kilos of gold to him for 38.6 million cedis.

Hagan, in the presence of the other accused persons, gave a parcel supposed to have contained the gold to Mr Guice, who paid for it.

The complainant later found that the parcel contained a yellowish metal and not gold.

GRi../