Car dealer granted GH₵85,000 bail over fraud

A man who allegedly took $14,500 from a sound engineer under the pretext of purchasing a Honda CR from the United States for him has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court yesterday.

Kennedy Kumi, the accused, was granted GH₵85,000 bail with two sureties who must be justified.

As part of the bail bond, the court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah ordered Kumi to report himself to the police once every week until the final determination of the case.

His plea would be taken on June 8, 2020.

One Asare who paraded as a clearing agent and took GH₵34,264.70 from the complainant is currently on the run and being sought by the police.

Appearing before Mrs Appiah, Chief Inspector of Police, Simon Apiorsonu told the court that in May 2019, the complainant expressed interest to purchase a Honda CR from the United States.

He said Kumi who knew the complainant and a witness in the case said he could buy the vehicle for the complainant at a cheaper price and based on that, the complainant paid the money to Kumi in the presence of the witness.

The prosecutor said weeks after the payment of the money, the alleged car dealer called the complainant and said the container carrying the vehicle had arrived at the Tema Port and arranged for them to meet at Jubilee Terminal, Tema.

The court heard that the two met Asare where the complainant gave him (Asare) GH₵34,246.70 as additional charges to clear the vehicle.

However, after taking the money, Chief Inspector Apiorsonu said that Asare switched off his mobile phone and efforts to reach him proved unsuccessful.

He said on November 6, 2020, the complainant lodged a complaint with the police, and Kumi was arrested.

Chief Inspector Apiorsonu told the court that the accused denied having defrauded the complainant, but failed to provide any relevant document or information concerning the purchase and shipment of the vehicle from the United States to Ghana.

The case stands adjourned.

BY MALIK SULLEMANA