Businesswoman appears before court for an alleged fraud

January 19, 2011
Accra, Jan. 19, GNA - A 40-year-old Tema-based businesswoman, Doris Bruce, on Wednesday, appeared before an Accra Circuit Court, for allegedly defrauding a client in the sum of GH¢300,000, under the pretext of supplying her imported frozen fish.

The court, presided over by Mr Eric Kyei Baffour, granted Doris a bail of GH¢200,000, with two sureties to be justified.

The accused pleaded not guilty and would re-appear on February 9.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery, prosecuting said, the complainant, Madam Janet Frimpong, is a Kumasi-based businesswoman, who deals in frozen fish, whiles the accused imports frozen fish.

He said sometime in January 2010, the complainant received a call from the accused that she (accused) had imported some frozen fish into the country and needed GH¢100,000 to pay for the duty to clear the consignment.

DSP Dery said the complainant upon enquiries realised that the accused was a dealer in frozen fish, after which she (complainant) instructed her bankers to transfer GH¢100,000 into the accounts of the accused but after the transfer of the money she (accused) failed to supply the fish.

The prosecution said two months later, the complainant had a call from someone, who introduced himself as the agent of the accused asking the complainant to pay an additional GH¢200,000 to the accused to enable them to process the required documents to clear the frozen fish for her.

DSP Dery said the complainant contacted the accused, who confirmed the request by the agent and therefore authorised her bankers to transfer GH¢200,000 into the accounts of the accused but after receiving the total amount of GH¢300,000, she failed to supply the frozen fish.

He said the complainant made efforts for a refund of her money, but the accused refunded only GH¢50,000, and the case was reported to the police, who arrested the accused and after investigations charged with the offence.

GNA