Three men and another who is at large have been accused of selling land at Sakumono Ramser Site at the cost of US$7,700.00 to an estate developer without a title deed.
They were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and fraudulent transaction.
The accused persons are Ashie Anum, Emmanuel Otu Damfa, Daniel Bortey, and Ishmael Afotey (at large).
Their pleas were not taken because they all failed to appear before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah on Friday.
The court has ordered that they pay the estate developer, who also is the complainant in the case, GH¢40,000.00.
Full facts
The Prosecuting Officer, Superintendent Augustine Yirenkyi, said on January 1, 2023, the above-mentioned accused persons visited the complainant’s residence and informed him of two plots of land that Afotey was offering for sale at the Sakumono Ramser Site.
He said the complainant was led to the site by the accused persons the following day, and upon inspection and further persuasions by the accused persons, the estate developer showed interest in buying the land.
On January 25, 2023, the accused persons visited the complainant’s residence again and demanded and collected cash in the sum of US$7,700.00, being the cost of the two plots of land, without handing over any official documents, in the presence of his wife, Gladys Nartey, a witness in this case.
However, when the complainant visited the land the following week with building materials to develop the land, another person surfaced claiming ownership of the same land.
The other party, in claiming ownership of the same land, did not only prevent the complainant from developing the site, but caused damage to properties belonging to him.
The complainant, after several attempts to compel the accused persons to refund his money proved futile, reported the matter to the Baatsonaa Police.
The accused persons were invited by the police to assist in investigations, and during interrogated admitted the offences.
They told the police that a greater part of the money was given to Afotey who did not have any land at the said location.
After investigations, they were charged with the offences and put before the court.
