The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Mary Ekue Yanzuh delivered a judgment sentencing 42 year old businessman Malik Faisal to fifteen years in hard labor. According to a Graphic Online report the convict was found guilty on multiple counts of defrauding by false pretenses and money laundering involving lands located in the East Legon area.
Court records cited by GhanaWeb indicate that Faisal collected significant sums of money from several victims by promising them parcels of prime land that he did not own and had no authority to sell. The prosecution led by the Office of the Attorney General presented evidence showing that the convict used forged documents to convince his victims of the legitimacy of the transactions.
A report by Citi Newsroom clarifies that the total amount involved in the scam exceeded four million Ghana Cedis. The victims realized they had been defrauded after they attempted to take possession of the lands only to be confronted by the actual owners. The Accra High Court heard testimony from several witnesses who detailed how the payments were made to the convict through various bank transfers and cash payments.
In its final ruling the court ordered that any properties or assets identified as proceeds of the crime be confiscated by the state for the purpose of restitution to the victims. While the defense requested a more lenient sentence the presiding judge emphasized the need for a deterrent punishment due to the rise in land related fraud within the Greater Accra Region as noted in various police reports and judicial statements.