A United Kingdom (UK) based Ghanaian lecturer, Samuel Nene Ankrah has been allegedly defrauded of GH₵1, 000,000.00 by a 55-year old Samuel Nana Mensah aka Samuel Kwaku Romeo and another.

This was told to an Accra Circuit court presided over by Her Honour Mrs. Ellen Ofei Ayee by the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Simon Apiorsornu yesterday.

According to C/Inspt Apiorsornu, Romeo is a self-styled businessman while his accomplice, Ericson Arthur aka Eric Kofi Arthur, is a welder but currently unemployed.

He said the complainant encountered the accused persons somewhere in August 2019 that he had returned to Ghana from the United Kingdom for good.

The prosecutor explained that the complainant is on retirement, hence the decision to relocate to Ghana with his family to settle.

Therefore, while the retiree was trying to settle in, the accused person with the intent to defraud him, contacted the complainant through Ericson’s brother under the pretext to assist him to invest his pension in a profitable venture.

To succeed in this, Romeo introduced himself to the unsuspecting victim as the boss of West Africa Monetary Agency, adding he is capable of assisting Mr. Ankrah to invest in the company.”

By this false presentation, the accused person managed to part way with GH¢1,000,000.00 from the complainant,” the prosecutor,” he said.C/Inspt Apiorsornu continued that Romeo after obtaining the money from the complainant went into hiding, while effort Mr. Ankrah to reach proved futile, as result reported the case to the police in November in 2019.

The prosecutor said investigation immediately led to the arrest of Ericson, however, Romeo upon hearing this, vacated from his house at Weija and absconded.

Ericson allegedly during interrogation admit to the crime, disclosing that he used his shared of the amount to purchase a house at Bortianor and moved in.

The court was told that Ericson was released on police inquiry bail while a search continued to fish out Romeo.

Her Honour was also told that Romeo was traced to his hideout at Kasoa and was arrested on June 6, 2021.

Romeo is, therefore, facing two counts of defrauding by false pretense.

The court granted Romeo bail in the sum of Gh¢1 million, four sureties and one should be justified with a title of landed property.

The accused person was also given specific dates from 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 18, 21, and 24 of June to present himself to the police.

The case was adjourned to June 24.

By Akutu Dede Adimer