Businessman charged with $56,000 fraud
Two arrested over fake currency trafficking
Businessman charged with $56,000 fraud
Tema (Greater Accra), 13th October 99
Patrick Benefo, a businessman, on Tuesday appeared before a Tema Circuit Tribunal for allegedly defrauding a man of 56,000 dollars.
Benefo, who is said to have bolted with the money belonging to Mr. Kofi Owusu, Managing Director of "Living Zoe Ventures", a Tema fishing company, pleaded not guilty, and is to re-appear on October 19.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mike Yirenkyi, said in September 1996, Benefo approached a friend and showed him an import permit for fish and another permit for the operation of vessels in international waters.
The prosecution said the friend led the accused to Mr. Owusu, who after listening to Benefo and examining the documents, expressed interest in the fish import business.
After a series of meetings between the two, the accused requested the complainant to give him 56,000 dollars to import fish from Lagos, Nigeria, and assured him that the consignment will arrive within two weeks.
On October 2, 1996, the complainant gave the money to the accused in the presence of witnesses, but the accused vanished and was not seen again until March 21st 1997, when the complainant's wife spotted him around Ashaiman, near Tema.
Benefo was arrested and granted bail but absconded until October 10, this year, when he was re-arrested upon a tip off, the prosecution said.
The Tribunal, presided over by Mr Ringo Cass Azumah, refused to grant Benefo bail saying that "he is in the habit of bolting".
GRi
Two arrested over fake currency trafficking
Cape Coast (Central Region), 13th October 99
The police have arrested Kow Bentum, 29, a lotto forecaster and Frederick Nartey, 24, a driver's mate for allegedly trafficking in fake currency.
Briefing newsmen in Cape Coast on Tuesday, Mr. Bartholomew Kwaku Agbenyegah, Central Regional Police Crime Officer, said the two men had concentrated their activities between Assin Foso and Bawjiase.
He said following a tip-off, Nartey's room was searched at Bawjiase on Monday and a machine for printing money and a bag full of papers cut to the sizes of two and five thousand cedi-notes were found.
During interrogation, Nartey mentioned one Emmanuel at Agbogbloshie Market in Accra, as the owner of the items.
GRi