The Dansoman Circuit Court is currently presiding over the trial of Frank Osei and Fiifi Bright Mensah, both accused of defrauding Mutala Masawood Akime, a businessman based in Madina, of a substantial sum of money.
The accused, self-acclaimed freight forwarders appeared before Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul Baasit on July 18, 2024 and have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
The court session saw the granting of bail to Frank Osei and Fiifi Bright Mensah, set at GH¢1,000,000.00 with three sureties each.
Notably, two of these sureties must be public servants earning no less than GH¢10,000.00 per month and residing within the jurisdiction of the court. One surety is required to present title deeds to justify their status.
As part of their bail conditions, both accused persons are required to deposit their Ghana Card with the court Registry and report to the Police Investigator weekly.
The case, which stems from allegations of fraudulent activities, involves the accused presenting themselves as legitimate car dealers to Akime.
According to the complaint filed, Ernest Boakye, a mutual friend, introduced Frank Osei and Fiifi Bright Mensah to MutalaMasawood Akime.
Subsequently, the accused allegedly showcased several Honda CRV vehicles purportedly available for sale, which Akime agreed to purchase following negotiations.
MutalaMasawood Akime transferred the agreed sum in cash, US$48,000 and GH¢95,000 to Frank Osei and Fiifi Bright Mensah.
However, after receiving the payment, the accused failed to deliver the vehicles as promised and subsequently became unreachable, leading Akime to pursue legal action against them.
Following diligent police investigation and interrogation, Frank Osei and Fiifi Bright Mensah were apprehended on July 16, 2024 at their hideout in Tema.
Given the complexity and gravity of the case, the presiding judge noted that due to the amount involved exceeding prosecutorial limits, the matter would be referred to the Attorney-General for further guidance and potential elevation to higher courts.
