State prosecutors have filed an amended charge sheet against three businessmen allegedly involved in a high profile gold scam transaction according to a Graphic Online report. The individuals are accused of misrepresenting themselves as licensed gold dealers to secure five million dollars from a foreign national. The prosecution stated during a recent hearing at the Accra High Court that the new charges were necessary to reflect evidence gathered during a supplementary investigation.
Court records indicate that the suspects allegedly promised to supply the investor with gold bars but failed to deliver the precious minerals after receiving payment. A report by Citi Newsroom notes that the transactions took place within the Greater Accra Region between late 2023 and early 2024. The accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretenses as reported by the Ghana News Agency.
The presiding judge has adjourned the case to allow the defense counsel time to study the newly filed documents. While the original source Graphic Online reports the amount at five million dollars some media outlets have previously cited different figures which remains a point of clarification in the ongoing trial. The State Attorney emphasized that the prosecution is prepared to call witnesses including the complainant and police investigators to provide testimony.
The defense team has argued for a review of bail conditions suggesting that the accused persons are not flight risks and have cooperated with the Ghana Police Service throughout the process. The court has maintained that the suspects must remain within the jurisdiction and surrender their travel documents to the court registrar as verified by Daily Guide Network reports. Further proceedings are expected to occur later this month as the trial enters the evidentiary stage.