Emmanuel Boateng, a 42-year-old automobile dealer, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢600,000 after being remanded into lawful custody over charges of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretence.
Boateng, who pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the court on March 10, was granted bail by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit under strict conditions.
The court ordered him to provide three sureties, two of whom must be public servants earning not less than GH¢2,000 per month, while the third surety must justify the bail amount with a property of equivalent value.
Additionally, the accused has been directed to deposit his Ghana Card with the court registry and report to the police once every month until further notice. The case has also been referred to the Office of the Attorney-General for advice, with the next hearing scheduled for May 28, 2025.
The Case Against Boateng
Boateng and his alleged accomplice, Frank Obeng—who remains at large—have been charged with defrauding Ibrahim Issaka, a footballer based at Achimota, Accra, of $37,000 under false pretences.
According to Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, in November 2024, Issaka visited Boateng’s automobile garage at Abelemkpe and initially showed interest in purchasing a 2018 Honda Accord.
However, after detecting faults in the vehicle, he declined the purchase. Boateng then allegedly presented pictures of a 2022 Honda CRV, claiming he had imported it from the United States and was awaiting its arrival for sale.
Issaka, convinced by Boateng’s representations, agreed to purchase the vehicle for $37,000. He was instructed to transfer the amount into an account purportedly belonging to Boateng’s brother, Frank Obeng, who was said to be handling the shipment in the U.S. However, when the agreed-upon delivery period elapsed in December 2024, the vehicle was never delivered.
Investigations revealed that Boateng later claimed Obeng had been arrested and imprisoned in the U.S. for receiving the funds, preventing the transaction from being completed. The prosecution noted that Boateng failed to provide any evidence to substantiate this claim.
Following Issaka’s complaint to the police, Boateng was arrested and charged, while efforts are ongoing to locate and apprehend Obeng. The court proceedings will resume in May, as authorities continue their investigations into the matter.
