Estate developer appears in court for allegedly causing damage

Accra, May 15, GNA - Maria O'Sullivan aka Jentu, an estate developer on Friday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly demolishing a four bedroom structure worth GH¢12,000 cedis at Adjiriganor in East Legon.

She and 18 others now at large are facing conspiracy, causing unlawful damage and stealing charges.

Maria has denied the charges and is on GH¢30,000 cedis bail with three sureties with one to be justified. She will re-appear on May 29.

She is alleged to have given four parcels of land to Mr Anthony Kwarteng, a contractor in return for the construction of a road.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mary Agbozo, prosecuting, prayed the court to compel the accused to assist the police arrest the 18 persons who participated in the demolishing exercise.

She said the accused persons had refused to report to the police in spite of several invitations.

Mr Joe Larsey, defence counsel, prayed the court to admit his client to bail because she had not deliberately refused to report to the police.

Counsel said his client had a number of cases before the courts and that had accounted for her inability to be reporting to the police.

The facts as presented by prosecution were that in 2003, Mr Kwarteng the complainant, was contracted by Maria to demarcate parcels of lands and roads on the Spintex road.

She said instead of paying the complainant for work done, Maria offered four parcels of land to defray the cost and provided him the necessary documents covering the land.

Prosecution said in April 2009, Mr Kwarteng started developing the land only to be confronted by one Mark Addo who claimed he bought same plots of land from Maria for 52,000 dollars.

She said the police invited Maria, Mr Kwarteng and Mr Addo and after scrutinising documents on the land, the police asked Maria and Mr Addo to stay away.

Prosecution said on April 30, this year, the police received a call from Maria that she was going to demolish the structure on the four parcels of land.

She said on May 2, this year, a witness in the case called Mr Kwarteng and informed him that four soldiers, six policemen, and eight land guards had demolished the structure and made way with their working tools.

Consequently, the police invited Maria but she failed to honour their invitation saying the police had no business relating to land matters.

She said the police therefore served her with criminal summons to appear before the court.

GNA