Businessman charged for fraud granted GH¢700,000 bail

Businessman, Villey Acheampong, said to be a youth activist has been charged for defrauding another businessman in the sum of GH¢700,000.

The accused is said to have advertised his six bedroom uncompleted house for GHc820k but after receiving GH¢700,000 for its sale, he refused to hand over documents to the Complainant.

Upon arrest after the complainant had reported the case, the accused said, he took that money as a loan but not to sell his property.

The Prosecutor told the Circuit Court in Accra presided over by Her Honor Mrs. Susanna Edufful that, investigations at the Lands Commission revealed that, the accused had used that same property to secure several loans.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretense and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢700.

He is also to produce two sureties one of whom is to be justified with a landed property and a title deed to be deposited with the registrar of the court.

The case has been adjourned to April 27, 2022 for Case Management Conference.

Brief facts

The brief facts of the case as presented to the court by ASP Nyamekye were that, the complainant Solomon Kwabi is a businessman, resident at Garden Estate, Teshie.

Whilst accused person Villey Acheampong is also a businessman, resident at Baastona-Spintex.

According to the prosecutor, during the month of February, 2020, accused person advertised his six bedroom uncompleted house at Baastona-Spintex for sale through an Estate agent, Kwadwo Owusu, a witness in this case.

He told the court that, the Complainant together with the witness met accused person and they agreed a price of GH¢820,000.

He said, the Complainant made payment to accused person of which some of the monies were paid through the witness and a receipt of payment issued to the Complainant.

The prosecutor told the court that, a total amount of GH¢700, 000 was paid to the accused person and the Complainant the demanded to see the documents of the said building so that he could add the remaining GH¢120,000 to complete payment.

Another buyer

“To his suprise accused person sent him a message that he has sold the same building to another buyer. The complainant then demanded for his money but accused failed to give same to him.

“The complainant then petitioned the Director General/CID on October 27, 2021,” the prosecutor noted.

He said, “On November 2, 2021, the accused was arrested and in his investigations cautioned statement, he stated that, he borrowed the said money of GH¢700, 000 from the complainant but not to sell his building to him.”

He told the court that, “the Accused person was shown the receipt payment as well as messages sent to the Complainant but could not give tangible reason as to why he issued the receipt and the messages.

“Police asked accused person to produce the original copy of the documents of the said building but he could not produce same. Investigations at the Lands Commission revealed that, the said land is registered in the name of Kwadwo Adjei the same person who issued the indenture for the accused person.

“Meanwhile investigations at DCI Microfinance, Accra also indicated that, the accused person has used the original land certificate of the building to secure several loans at the said facility.

He was arraigned after investigations and the accursed was charged with the offence.