A trader and goldsmith have been remanded into police custody over allegations of conspiracy to commit a crime, stealing, dishonestly receiving, and fictitious trading.
The accused persons are 34 years old Razak Kudjuh Annor (trader), and 39-year-old Lankai Mills Lamptey (goldsmith).
The accused persons were charged in connection with 80 bundles of wire mesh, valued at GH¢33,600.00 that they ordered from an online trading site, but after receiving the items, failed to pay for them.
The accused persons were arraigned before an Accra Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, on Monday, November 14, 2022. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were ordered to reappear on the 23th of this month.
The brief facts
The facts of the case, as presented by the prosecuting officer, Inspector Daniel Danku, is that the complainant is an online trader and resides at Krobo Odumasi in the Eastern Region, and used to buy his products from Kwame Asare, who also is a trader at Arena in Accra and a witness in the case.
He told the court that Razak Kudjuh Annor is a trader and resides at Palladium, and Lankai Mills Lamptey is a goldsmith and resides at Mateheko, all in Accra.
The court was further informed that the accused person colleague, Jerry Hammond, also known as Zatu, is now at large.
According to him, on May 31, 2022, a buyer whose name is unknown, called the complainant on phone and ordered 80 bundles of wire mesh fence online, value at GH¢33,600.00, and requested that the items be delivered to a house at Dzorwulu, Accra.
The buyer told the complainant that two men would meet him at Dzorwulu and escort him to the house where the items were to be delivered.
On delivery the buyer told the complainant to follow one of the two men to Odorkor to collect his money.
On their way to Odorkor, the man escorting the complainant escaped, and the complainant quickly rushed to the house at Dzorwulu where the items were packed, but saw that all were missing.
The complainant reported the matter to the police, and on June 4, 2022, the witness, Asare, called the police that Al had brought 23 bundles of the items to his shop bearing the same identification marks as his products and was selling at them a cheaper price.
The police then arrested Razak together with the exhibits at the scene.
Razak stated in his cautioned statement that Jerry gave the items to him to sell on his behalf, but could not lead the police to arrest A2. Al was granted bail and he arrested A3 to the police station.
A3 stated in his cautioned statement that one Michael gave him the items to sell on his behalf, and he also gave them to A2.
A3 could not lead the police to arrest the said Michael. Al and A3 refunded cash in the sum of GH¢11,000.00 as part payment of the value of the remaining 57 missing wire mesh fence.
After investigation, the accused persons were charged with the offences stated in the charge sheet and arraigned before court.
