Businessman held in police custody over alleged car fraud

An Accra Circuit Court has ordered that a businessman, who allegedly swindled another of his Range Rover Sport vehicle 2019 model, be kept in police custody.

Nana Ohene Djan Aggrey Bentil has also been charged for issuing a dud cheque with the face value GHC350,000.00 to Mr Richard Owusu, the complainant, as part payment of the GHC696,000.00 being the cost of the car.

Bentil was again arraigned for forging forms A and C of Driver’s Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to register the said car.

He has denied all the charges and he will be brought back to the Court Two on April 3, 2024.

The Court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo asked Prosecution to comply with all the rules of disclosures by filing and serving their witnesses’ statements by the next adjourned date.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Anane,prosecuting, said Mr Owusu, the complainant, dealt in home used cars at Richmen Motor, garage located at Tesano, whilst Bentil, the accused person, was a businessman, aged 54.

He said on June 23, 2022, the accused called one Mr Richard Boama , a witness in this case, to enquire from him if he could get him a Range Rover to buy.

Mr Boama, prosecution said, did not have a Range Rover car but decided to inform the complainant about it, thus, complainant drove his unregistered Range Rover Sport 2019 Model, accompanied by Mr Boama to Bentil’s residence at Taifa for inspection.

ASP Anane said Bentil after inspecting the car, feigned interest in buying it at USD87,000.00 with its Ghana cedi equivalent at GHC 696,000.00 at a prevailing rate of GHC 8.00 in 2022.

The Court heard that the accused promised to pay for the unregistered Range Rover 2019 model within a month, hence, he demanded the original documents covering the car, to enable his bankers conduct valuation before payment was made.

ASP Anane said Bentil then promised to return the original documents upon the completion of the valuation by his bankers and that when he completed payment in a month as promised, he would then demand for the transfer of ownership of the Range Rover into his name.

Bentil, under the pretext of valuating the car by his bankers, he impersonated one Mr Singular Kwesi-Sey, the importer of the unregistered Range Rover Sport 2019 and fraudulently registered same in the name of the importer without the consent of the complainant and also forged a transfer letter in the name of the importer and did transfer ownership of same into his company's name N.O.B Djan Company Limited on June 24, 2022, with a registration number GC 2265-22, the Police said.

Prosecution said the next day, the complainant went to the accused person’s residence at Taifa together with his colleague car dealer Mr Boama to demand for his Range Rover Sports and its original documents but Bentil informed the complainant that although he had not heard from his bankers, he still was interested in the Range Rover Sports and immediately issued a postdated cheque to the complainant with a face value of GHC350,000.00 for same to be drawn on June 29, 2022 at First Atlantic Bank.

He also handed over GHC100,000.00 to the complainant, adding that when the cheque was presented at the bank, it bounced and same returned to drawer for insufficient of funds.

ASP Anane said Bentil later went to Kumasi on July 01, 2022 with the Range Rover and used same as a collateral for a loan of GHC275,000.00 from one Mr Kofi Agyei to be repaid within a month and failure for him to meet the deadline of the repayment he, Mr Agyei should use the Range Rover Sport 2019 model to defray the cost of the loan.

Prosecution said intelligence led to the arrest of Mr Agyei in Kumasi on November 19, 2022, and he admitted that Bentil used the car as collateral for a GHC275,000,00 loan and based on the conditions set, he automatically assumed ownership and sold same to defray the debt, to one Mr Stephen Tayi Kyere.

ASP Anane said the accused had failed to pay the complainant the full amount of the car.

GNA