The Accra Circuit Court has remanded two businessmen into police custody following allegations that they defrauded an estate developer of GH¢500,000. Graphic Online report indicates that the suspects allegedly claimed to have four plots of land for sale at East Legon while knowing they did not possess the legal right to the property. The court presided over by Judge Samuel Bright Acquah denied bail during the initial hearing to allow for further investigations into the matter.
According to the prosecution led by Inspector Akowuah and cited by the Ghana News Agency the suspects met the complainant through a third party and presented forged documents to support their ownership claims. The prosecution stated that the complainant paid the full amount in installments before realizing the land belonged to a private company. The suspects reportedly failed to refund the money or provide alternative land after the discrepancy was discovered leading to their arrest by the Ghana Police Service.
The suspects faced charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretense as reported by Citi Newsroom. The defense counsel argued for bail stating that the constants were gainfully employed and would not flee the jurisdiction. However the court rejected the application noting the gravity of the amount involved and the ongoing efforts by the police to track potential accomplices who may be linked to the transaction.
A report by GhanaWeb notes that the case has been adjourned until later this month to allow the prosecution to serve all necessary disclosures to the defense. The court has ordered the suspects to remain in police custody while the investigative team verifies the authenticity of the land titles presented during the alleged transaction. This case highlights ongoing concerns regarding land litigation and fraudulent property sales within the Greater Accra Region as noted by the Lands Commission in previous public warnings.