Man Arrested For Fraud

The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old man who allegedly defrauded two Portuguese of ¢653 million under the pretext of supplying them gold.

The suspect, Robert Kwashie, was arrested at a hotel in Accra when he presented two brownish substances suspected to be fake gold to the two men.

According to the Accra Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Boi-Bi-Boi, the two Portuguese were businessmen who dealt in gold and had been coming to Ghana to purchase gold for sale in their country.

He said when they arrived in the country in January this year, their contact man here had travelled but he directed the two Portuguese to see Kwashie and Courage Coffie Ahiable, now at large, to assist them to purchase the gold.

He said the Portuguese held a meeting with their Ghanaian contacts at a hotel in Accra where they were given samples of the gold for testing at the Survey Department and it turned out to be genuine.

The Crime Officer said the Portuguese requested for more gold, which was supplied by the two men and they were paid ¢653 million.

Chief Supt Boi-Bi-Boi said when the Portuguese presented the substance for shipment, it was detected to be fake.

He said since the only contact between the Portuguese and the Ghanaian was by phone, they waited patiently for the suspects to call, which they did on February 20, 2007 that they had more gold for sale.

The Portuguese feigned interest and scheduled a meeting with them at the hotel but only one of the suspects turned up with two small bags containing the fake substance.

He said as soon as Kwashie presented the substance to the Portuguese, they quickly raised an alarm, which attracted some people to the scene and they were arrested.

When the suspect's room was searched, large quantities of sand mixed with a substance were found.

The samples have been sent to the Precious Minerals Marketing Company Limited for examination.

Story by Mary Mensah