The Accra Circuit Court remanded three suspects into police custody on Monday after they were accused of participating in a gold fraud scheme. According to a Daily Graphic report the individuals were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretenses after allegedly collecting 150000 USD from an international investor.
Prosecutors informed the court that the suspects claimed to possess gold bars available for purchase and export. A GhanaWeb report states that the complainant paid the funds after being shown samples of what appeared to be genuine gold bars. The prosecution alleges that the suspects disappeared after receiving the payment without delivering the agreed quantity of precious minerals.
The defense counsel requested bail for the accused persons during the hearing. However the presiding judge denied the application and ordered that the suspects remain in custody to assist the Ghana Police Service with ongoing investigations. A report from Citi Newsroom indicates that the police are currently searching for other accomplices believed to be part of the same syndicate.
Official court records show that the case has been adjourned until later this month to allow the prosecution team to complete their evidence gathering. The court has directed the investigative team to provide a progress report at the next hearing as the police continue to track the movement of the alleged stolen funds. The names of the accused have been entered into the case file but they have not yet entered a formal plea to the charges.