The Dansoman Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, has commenced proceedings against three men charged in connection with an elaborate gold scam that ended in an armed robbery, with over GH¢3.85 million stolen from a foreign businessman.
The accused—Mohammed Umaro (55), a trader; Gabriel Sewornu a.k.a. Dangote (35); and Bismark Oweridu Frimpong (45), both businessmen—have all pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery, contrary to sections 23(1) and 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Four other suspects, identified as Alhaji Kamara Sankara, Alhaji Sumaila, Don King Mafia, and Efo Sammy, remain at large.
The Alleged Plot
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Worder, the complainant, Moussa Bamba, is a businessman from Côte d’Ivoire who regularly visits Ghana on behalf of business partners in Dubai.
Mr. Bamba arrived in Ghana on May 25, 2025, seeking assistance to legally purchase and export gold bars. He was introduced to Umaro (A1), who presented himself as a licensed gold dealer under a company named Danampco Company Limited.
After reviewing documents allegedly proving legitimacy, Bamba was convinced to enter into an agreement to purchase 10 kilograms of gold.
To verify his financial capability, Umaro insisted on an initial cash purchase of 6 kilograms for $450,000 (equivalent to GH¢3,853,386 at the time).
On June 3, 2025, Umaro and Sankara (A2, at large) arranged to receive the cash at the A&C Mall, after which they returned with Bamba to an office in Dzorwulu.
The Robbery
Shortly after arriving at the Dzorwulu office, armed men dressed in military-style uniforms, allegedly organized by Umaro and associates, stormed the premises in an unregistered black Honda Accord and red Toyota RAV4. The gunmen held Bamba at gunpoint and stole the full cash amount.
Investigations later revealed that Frimpong (A3) was the individual who brought the supposed gold for testing. Further evidence pointed to his involvement in the orchestration of the fake security team that executed the robbery.
Court Proceedings & Bail
All three accused persons denied the charges in court. The judge granted them bail in the sum of GH¢900,000 each, with strict conditions:Two public servant sureties earning not less than GH¢5,000 monthly One surety must be justified with a title deed.
Accused must deposit their Ghana cards at the court registry. They are to report to court every two weeks.The court acknowledged that the monetary value of the crime exceeds prosecutorial limits and has, thus, referred the matter to the Attorney General’s Department for further advice. The case has been adjourned to August 20, 2025.
