Eleven men, including a Customs officer, have been arraigned before the Circuit Court in Accra, presided over by His Honour Jojo Amoah Hagan, for allegedly defrauding a Sri Lankan Member of Parliament, Dr. Muhammed Hizbullah of US$2,000,000 under the pretext of selling him a quantity of gold.
The accused persons — Abdul Rauf Adam, Alhmamoudi Saleh, Yaw Attah Antwi, Osman Suleman, Nhyiraba Dwamena, Benzcarl Dwamena, Sanfo Mubassir, Sallah Mammooodi, Ahmed Issah, Umaru Pafadenam and Salifu Suleman — are facing multiple charges including conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretense and attempt to commit crime, all contrary to sections 23(1), 131(1) and 18(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jacob Kuubal, investigations revealed that in 2023, the accused persons jointly conspired and obtained US$ 2 million from Dr. Hizbullah under the pretext of supplying him with gold.
After collecting the money, they failed to deliver the metal and subsequently cut off contact with the victim.
The prosecution further narrated that the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) later received intelligence that the same syndicate was operating around Weija-SCC, targeting unsuspecting foreigners with similar gold deals.
Acting on this information, National Security operatives arrested the eleven accused persons during a purported transaction with the same Sri Lankan MP, who had been contacted again with an offer to buy 50 kilograms of gold.
During the arrest, officers retrieved several yellowish metal bars suspected to be gold. The prosecution said the items have been sent for scientific examination to determine their authenticity, while investigations continue.
The accused persons — whose occupations range from businessmen and traders to a metallurgist, customs officer, secretary, car dealer, delivery man and security guard — all had their pleas not taken when the charges were read to them.
They were each admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢500,000, with two sureties, one of whom must be justified with landed property.
The original land title certificate is to be deposited with the Registrar of the Court.
The case has been adjourned to November 20, 2025, further investigations.
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