A 46-year-old businessman, Koku Amedume Benedictus, is in trouble after allegedly defrauding a Ho-based businesswoman of more than GHC2.4 million.
He has, however, pleaded not guilty to four counts of defrauding by false pretence.
The court also ordered the accused to report to the police every other Tuesday and to surrender his travel documents and Ghana Card to the court registry.
When the case was called, Benedictus’ lawyers pleaded for bail, arguing that he was not a flight risk. They also accused the prosecution of attempting to convert a civil case into a criminal one.
The prosecution, led by Christopher Wonder Afeke, opposed the bail application, insisting that granting bail could interfere with ongoing investigations. Afeke noted that the accused had earlier been granted police enquiry bail after 48 hours of remand.
After listening to arguments from both sides, the judge granted Benedictus bail. The court ordered him to justify two of the sureties, with the third required to be a civil servant earning a monthly salary of not less than GHC5,000.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
According to the brief facts presented in court, the accused is a businessman residing in Oyarifa, Accra.
In October 2024, the complainant, a businesswoman, discovered that GHC170,000 had been wrongfully deducted from her buffer stock account. A witness then introduced her to Benedictus, who was presented as a representative of the Buffer Stock suppliers.
The accused allegedly offered to help her retrieve the money and, in the process, suggested a new supplier who could provide maize and beans at a lower price. In January 2025, Benedictus reportedly informed the complainant that prices of maize and beans would rise due to a change in government and advised her to purchase large quantities for storage in his warehouse.
Acting on his advice, the complainant transferred GHC500,000 into a CalBank account under the name K. TITIS ENT on January 3, 2025. Benedictus later sent her photos of bags of maize to assure her of a successful purchase. He subsequently collected an additional GHC600,000 on January 16, 2025, and another GHC240,000 on February 11, 2025, for further purchases.
The Dansoman Circuit Court
The accused then reportedly convinced the complainant to send him more money by claiming he could obtain cheaper maize from Ejura. On March 13, 2025, he allegedly collected an additional GHC800,000, bringing the total amount received to GHC2,435,000.
The complainant became suspicious after Benedictus gave various excuses for failing to deliver the goods. She reported the matter to the police, and investigations revealed that the accused, after receiving the money based on false representations, failed to honour his promises. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
The case has been adjourned to September 12.
Source:3news.com
