An Accra Circuit Court Judge, N.E.K. Osam, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Sarfo Abebrese, an Accra-based lawyer for failing to appear before him to answer charges relating to fraud.
Sarfo Abebrese, with an alleged accomplice Alhaji Tanko Mohammed Salis, supposedly duped unsuspecting people to the tune of ˘331 million, under the pretext of sending them to Europe, but went into hiding, soon after receiving the money.
The accused person is facing five counts of defrauding by false pretences, while his alleged accomplice, a businessman, is facing three counts of the same offence.
Chief Inspector Swanzy B. Sarfo, the prosecuting officer, who presented the facts of the case, noted that eight complainants, who were businessmen, timber merchants and unemployed persons, had lodged complaints about Lawyer Abebrese and his accomplice.
According to him, between January and September 2006, the accused persons presented themselves as people who could process travel documents for people who wanted to proceed to Germany to watch the World Cup tournament.
The complainants, the story goes, showed interest in traveling to Germany, as well as other European countries, and were convinced by the accused persons to part with various amounts of cash.
However, after the complainants paid ˘138 million, U$12,000 and 500 Pounds, to Lawyer Abebrese and Alhaji Tanko, the two allegedly went into hiding.
The complainants, it was said, combed everywhere for them, till the time for their trip lapsed, so they lodged a complaint with the police.
Lawyer Abebrese, after the complaint, allegedly refunded ˘30 million to the police, and pleaded for a short time to pay the remaining amount, but absconded again.
The accused persons were however, warned by the court through their sureties, to appear before the court for the trial to begin.
|
|
Bookmark with: