Jubilee House National Security Operative allegedly swindles businessman over sale of excavator

A 34-year-old National Security Operative who allegedly plotted with three others to defraud a businessman under the guise of selling him an excavator has appeared in court.

Willis Amoako Kotei, who is reported to be working at the Jubilee House, took the complainant to a yard in Tema to show him the Saby Excavator, which was listed for sale at GHC14 million.

The complainant made an initial payment of GHC467,000 out of a total cost of GHC14 million.

Kotei has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretences.

The Dansoman Circuit Court judge, Halimah El Alawal Abdul-Basit, has admitted Kotei to bail in the sum of GHC180,000 with three sureties, two of whom must be public servants earning at least GHC5,000.

According to the court, one of the sureties must be justified by title deeds, and the accused was ordered to deposit his Ghana Card at the Court’s Registry and report to the Police once a week until further notice.

This came after Kotei's lawyer requested bail, claiming that the fact of prosecution was different from the actual event.

According to defence counsel, the accused was a responsible person who would comply with the court’s bail conditions.

The prosecution, however, opposed the accused person's bail, claiming that after being granted police enquiry bail, he failed to report to the police, citing a bench issued by the court for his arrest.

“It is by this bench warrant we have the accused person before you today,” the prosecution said.

The prosecution’s argument is that the complainant, Emmanuel Kwesi Tettey, is a businessman from Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, and Kotei lives in Adenta, Accra.

The prosecution said that sometime in August 2023, the complainant was contacted by one John, who is presently on the run, over a Sany Excavator “deal.”

It said the excavator was offered for sale by one Agyapong, who is also at large.

The complainant met Agyapong and Boateng in Accra, and they sent him to a yard in Tema and showed him the Sany Excavator, describing themselves as “Staff of the Jubilee,” Accra.

The prosecutor added that the defendants (Agyapong and Boateng) agreed to sell the excavator to the complainant for GHC14 million, payable in instalments.

According to prosecution, the complainant requested to see the place of work of the two accused (Agyapong and Boateng), and they took him to the Jubilee House.

According to the prosecution, when they arrived at the Jubilee House, Kotei, an aide, went to the entrance and enabled their entry into the yard.

The prosecutor told the court that Kotei used his permit to take them to his boss’s office, where the parties agreed that an initial deposit of GHC467,000 was to be paid for the release of the excavator.

According to the prosecution, the complainant handed GHC467,000 to Kotei and his accomplice at Jubilee House, and they asked him to return the next day for the excavator so that they could install a tracker on it.

The prosecution said that after collecting the money, the accused went into hiding, but a witness in the case assisted the complainant in locating Kotei at the Jubilee House.

The court heard that Kotei was arrested, and he refunded GHC295,000 to the complainant and sought a week to pay the remaining money, but he failed.

The prosecution said efforts are underway to apprehend Kotei's accomplices.

The matter has been adjourned to May 6, 2024.

GNA