Court grants an accused 30 million cedis bail for fraud

A Twifo Praso District Magistrate's Court on Tuesday granted Joseph Kwamina Appiah, a self-styled 'visa contractor' and Executive Member of Cape Coast Universal Club 30 million cedis bail with two sureties to be justified for allegedly defrauding two people in the sum of 49.7 million cedis under the pretext of sending them to the United States of America (USA).

Appiah pleaded not guilty and would re-appear on Tuesday, February 20.

However, an accomplice Peter Kobena Aidoo is at large.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Sam Kpogo, told the court presided over by Seth Bio Nyamekye, that sometime in February last year, Appiah and his accomplice posted an advert in the Daily Graphic inviting people who were interested to travel to the USA to contact the Club's executive for assistance.

He said the complainants, Joseph Nii Okine an agriculturist and John Frimpong a farmer both from Twifo Praso after reading the advert consulted Appiah and Aidoo who admitted them into the club on February 20 last year.

The prosecutor said between February and July last year, Appiah and Aidoo collected about 24.9 million cedis each from the complainants including their passports under the pretext of organizing a tour programme for them in USA.

He said the planned tour could not materialise and efforts by the complainants to trace Appiah and Aidoo proved futile until Appiah was arrested upon a tip-off in his hideout at Nkanfoa a suburb of Cape Coast and after investigations charged with the offence.

Source: GNA