Bridegroom arrested on his way to wedding dinner

A thirty-year-old businessman, Nana Fiifi Mensah, was looking forward to a blissful dinner to crown a memorable day on Saturday, October 27. He had taken his bride to the altar earlier in the day.

But, instead of a romantic evening he had envisaged, Mensah found himself in the grip of the law.

He was arrested on the way to the dinner and arraigned before the Tema Magistrate's Court for allegedly duping some people of millions of cedis, representing cars he had sold for them.

Police Chief Inspector Sarah Acquah told the court, presided over by Charles Asiedu, that Mensah, a garage owner, sold cars on behalf of customers.

She said in August, the accused collected cars from Shadi Kalmoni, a Lebanese businessman, and six others with the intention of sell¬ing them on the owners' behalf.

Later, Mensah presented a cheque with the face value of ¢33million to Mr. Kalmoni as part cheque was presented, the bank dishonoured it.
Mensah was arrested but was given bail and given time to pay the money.

According to the prosecution, Mensah went into hiding and could not be traced until he was arrested by Kalmoni on his way to the wedding dinner and handed over to the police.

The prosecution further said that six other complaints involving an amount of ¢200 million had been lodged against the accused since the police began investigating the original case.

It prayed the court to remand the accused in custody until the case was dispensed with, saying that when he was first granted bail in August and given time to pay what he owed Kalmoni, he went into hiding.

But Mr. Emmanuel F. Owusu, counsel for the accused, said the prosecution had clouded the evidence by adding allegations that were not part of the proceedings.

Mr. Asiedu granted the accused bail in the sum of ¢100 million with one surety until January 7, 2008.