The Accra Circuit Court presided over by Judge Samuel Bright Acquah remanded forty five year old businessman Benjamin Sarpong into police custody following allegations of a gold export scam involving five million Ghana Cedis. According to a Graphic Online report the accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretense during his initial appearance in court.
Court proceedings detailed by GhanaWeb indicate that the complainant is a foreign investor who sought to purchase a significant quantity of gold for international export. The prosecution stated that Sarpong allegedly claimed he possessed the requisite licenses and gold stocks to facilitate the transaction but failed to deliver the precious minerals after receiving the coordinated payments.
A report from the Ghana News Agency confirms that the police investigation began after the investor reported the loss of funds in early 2024. The prosecution opposed bail on the grounds that the accused might interfere with ongoing investigations or fail to reappear for trial given the substantial amount involved in the alleged crime.
The defense counsel argued for bail by stating that Sarpong has a fixed place of abode and is not a flight risk according to reports from Citi Newsroom. However the court upheld the remand order to allow the Ghana Police Service to complete their verification of international bank transfers and other evidentiary documents related to the five million Cedi transaction.