Teachers defrauded

Sunyani, Sept 01, GNA - A magistrate court in Sunyani has remanded four persons for defrauding eight teachers at Berekum of 72 million cedis under the pretext of acquiring air tickets for them to travel to China.

Kyere Amankwaa and Ernest Agyei Yiadom, both teachers, Francis Amankwaa-Gyan and Rexford Samuel Abban, radio presenters all pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretences.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police Alex Yartey Tawiah told the court that Amankwaa and Yiadom teach at Berekum, while Amankwaa-Gyan and Abban are with Fox FM in Kumasi.

He said in May the eight teachers decided to travel to China and obtained visas but did not have air tickets.

DSP Tawiah said Yiadom and Amankwaa, who are friends to the complainants, told them that Amankwaa-Gyan and Abban could assist them to acquire the tickets at a cost of nine million cedis each. He said the complainants agreed and paid 72 million cedis to Kyere and Yiadom who later informed them that they had given the money to Abban and Amankwaa-Gyan to purchase the tickets.

The prosecutor said Yiadom and Amankwaa asked the complainants to meet them at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra on May 15, this year to collect the tickets from Abban and Amankwaa-Gyan.

He said the complainants packed bag and baggage and waited at the airport for three days without meeting any of the accused. The dejected teachers went to Kumasi and demanded their money from the accused but their efforts proved futile.

DSP Tawiah said they reported the matter to the police and the accused on arrest admitted the offence but said they gave the money to one Johnny in Kumasi but could not trace him.