A 44-year-old site manager for AM Expander Enterprise, Godfred Atteh Otumi, has allegedly defrauded an Aviation Safety Inspector and an accountant by false pretenses.
He was dragged before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, yesterday, on the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretenses, but pleaded not guilty.
The charges were pressed against him by the prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector A.A. Asantewa. Godfred has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 with three sureties, and was further ordered to report once a week to the police.
Samuel Thompson, an Aviation Safety Inspector, and Eyram Adosraku, an Accountant, are the complainants in the case.
According to the prosecutor, somewhere in May 2022, Thompson contacted the accused to rent him a piece of land at Tse-Addo on which to operate his business.
The accused offered the land at the cost of GH¢2.000.00 per month for a period of ten years. Thompson paid the accused a sum of GH¢120,000.00 to cover five years.
In August of the same year, Adoraku also approached the accused with a similar request to rent him a parcel of land to operate his business on, and was charged GH¢144,000.00 for 10 years. Adoraku made part payment of GH¢104,000.00 into the accused’s bank account.
After collecting these monies, Otumi led the complainants to a fenced plot of land at Tse-Addo and demarcated the land for them. While at it, an unnamed civilian approached them and claimed ownership of the land.
Godfred then led the complainants to a different place, which was also fenced and gated, but a Chief presented himself to also claim ownership of that land. Following these events, the complainants became suspicious and requested a refund of their monies, but Otumi went into hiding.
On February 8, 2023, Godfred was arrested from his hideout following a petition by the complainants to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The accused admitted having received the monies, but claimed that he gave it to Alhaji Muntaka, who is currently on the run. Meanwhile, Godfred failed to lead the police to find the whereabouts of Muntaka.
The case was adjourned to August 2, 2023.
By McKenzie Days
