Court grants Kumasi businessman 800 million cedi bail for fraud

A Kumasi circuit court has granted an 800 million cedi bail with two sureties to Frank Ofori Atta, a Kumasi- based businessman for allegedly defrauding 12 persons of 648 million cedis.

Ofori Atta, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was alleged to have collected the monies from the complainants under the pretext of securing American visas for them.

He will re-appear before the court, presided over by Mr R.M Kogyapwah on July 5, this year.

Police Superintendent William Awuvey, prosecuting, told the court that, somewhere in 2005 the accused a businessman, introduced himself to the complainants that, he could secure American visas for them to enable them to travel to that country.

The accused succeeded in collecting various sums of money both in cedis and dollars from the complainants and immediately moved from Kumasi to stay in Accra.

Supt. Awuvey said after several attempts by the complainants to get their visas failed, some of them who had then, lost contact with him informed the police at various police stations in Kumasi.

He said, while investigations were ongoing, another set of his victims upon a tip-off, got to know his whereabouts and in May this year, succeeded in arresting him at his hideout in Accra and handed him over to the police.

Supt. Awuvey said the accused, in his caution statement, admitted the offence but pleaded for some time to refund the monies.

He, however, could not honour the promise and the police after investigations charged him with the offence and put him before court.