Imperial Homes caught up in US$270,000 fraud case

There is confusion over a three-bedroom apartment building located in Accra and owned by Imperial Homes Limited, an estate developer, leading to claims of fraud lodged at the Airport Police Station by one Ernest Danso.

He reports that an amount of US$270,000 was collected from him as the price of the apartment, but after three years of living in the building, his ownership was questioned and he was forcibly evicted from the house, leaving behind his belongings.

Before this, he had gone to the apartment and noticed that his keys could not open the main door. He discovered that the locks had been changed.

He also noticed that there was a new occupant in the apartment, even though his (Danso’s) personal effects were still in the rooms, and remains there till now.

Mr Danso, produced several documents, including a deed of Assignment between Imperial Homes Limited, the Assignor represented by one Francis K Biney, the Managing Director and Derrick Kwasi Appiah, the Assignee, a Cash Deposit receipt made to one William Jacob Nee-Lante Mould and an interbank transfer receipt showing various sums were paid for the apartment building at different times.

Although, the fraud case was finally taken, Mr Danso remains apprehensive and jittery at the conduct of the police administration in prosecuting an estate developer and his accomplice, who he says acted together and defrauded him under the guise of selling him the three-bedroom apartment owned by Imperial Homes.

There is fear that, some senior officers, are busy trying to cover up the alleged criminal conduct of the two accused persons; Raymond Maglo and Nana Osei Nketia, and others, whose names will come out in the course of the criminal proceedings as recipients of the US$270,000, from the victim, Ernest Danso.

According to police sources, the said William Jacob Nee-Lante Mould, in whose bank account at Prudential Bank huge amounts of money were transferred to for the house and the keys handed over to Ernest Danso, is said to have strangely popped up one day, saying Raymond Maglo, had forged his signature in the sale of the apartment, adding he did not have the authority to sell the place.

William Jacob Nee-Lante Mould, is also reported to have claimed that the various sums that went into his bank account as part of US$270,000, were rather meant to defray a loan owed him by Raymond Maglo. But The Herald is informed that, this is the modus operandi of Raymond Maglo and Nana Osei Nketia.

They claim to be selling the apartments and receive either cash or bank transfers into the accounts of the said William Jacob Nee-Lante Mould, who is identified as the owner of the 5-apartment building, but the customers never get the property transfer to them.

The property was allegedly built for the Mould family by Imperial Homes Limited, but for years now, it has not been transferred into the name of the Mould family.

However, monies said to be payment for the building ended up in the bank account of the said William Jacob Nee-Lante Mould. This paper is informed that one such payment running into almost US$ 1 million has been taken away from another person by Raymond Maglo, however, the apartment was never given to the clients.

Another interesting thing noticed from the documents is that, whereas the deed of assignment was signed by Francis K Biney, in his capacity as the Managing Director of the Imperial Homes and one Maame Tutua Dadson with another company by name Gsell Real Estates Limited as carrying out the day-to-day administration of the property.

The company, has had one Dr William J.N. Mould as its Managing Director.

In a letter dated March 24, 2023, addressed to Derrick Kwesi Appiah and Ernest Dansu, Dr Mould wrote “Dear Sirs, I have been informed by Mr. Nana Nketia, our property manager, that you have been occupying our apartment no 22 at Premier Place at the Airport Residential Area as a Short Term Tennant but with no formal signed agreement.

“I understand from Mr Nketia that you have refused to pay the rent for the period of your occupancy, so he has had no alternative, but to lock you out of the apartment and change the locks.

“If you attempt to enter the apartment again without our authorization, you will be considered a trespasser and you will be reported to the police to face the full consequences of the law.

“We are aware that you have some possessions in the apartment. You may call Mr Nketia to make arrangements to collect them.

“Please note that if you do not collect your possessions within 3 days they will be placed in storage at your cost.

Aside from the interesting names, other interesting revelations are also to come out at the criminal trial, especially on the actual ownership of the property and how Imperial Homes Limited, became the developers. The matter smells of a deceptive partnership between businessmen and their political cronies.

This paper learnt the senior officers at the Police Headquarters, have recalled the docket on the case detailing the culpability of the two accused persons and the others, including one William Jacob Nee-Lante Mould.

The Herald, further learnt that on two occasions when the case was called in court, the Police prosecutor, Superintendent Augustine A. Yirenkyi, looked confused and disorderly while answering questions, because the docket had been snatched from him by his superior officers, who don’t want the case to be heard by the court, lest people are exposed.

Insiders say, the police officers are bending to the demands of politicians, and would rather hide the docket to make the case a foolish case.

The case, which was reported at the Airport Police Station in Accra, had witnessed various attempts to frustrate it, but a docket was built and submitted to the Accra Regional Police Headquarters for prosecution to begin.

Before the prosecution could start, the suspects petitioned the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS) and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, alleging misconduct on the part of police investigators, however, their petition was thrown out and the case commenced.

The court ordered that all sureties be gainfully employed and that the first accused, Raymond Maglo, deposit his travel documents with the Court’s Registry. The court further directed the complainant, Ernest Danso, to liaise with the lawyer of the second accused Nana Osei Nketia, who stated in open court that he could assist the complainant to gain access to his property.

Maglo, 43, pleaded not guilty to forgery and defrauding by false pretences, while Nketia, 52, was charged with offensive conduct and unlawful entry.

Maglo’s alleged accomplice, Nketia, a property manager, was not in court. His counsel told the court, presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah, that he was not within the court’s jurisdiction.

Superintendent Yirenkyi told the court that Danso, the victim, a commercial farmer resides at Community 18, Tema, while Maglo and Nketia, he said, resided in Airport Hills and Dzorwulu, respectively. Nketia, according to Superintendent Yirenkyi, is the property manager at GSELL Real Estate Company Limited, which owns five apartment buildings within the Airport Residential Area, Accra.

Maglo, besides his occupation, acts as an agent for GSELL Real Estate Company Limited. On March 16, 2021, Danso purchased a three-bedroom apartment at Airport Residential Area from GSELL Real Estate Company Limited through Maglo for USD270,000.00.

According to the prosecution, Danso made full payment on the property to Maglo, who deposited USD145,000.00 into the accounts of GSELL Real Estate Company Limited.

The Court heard that based on the payment, Maglo issued a sales and purchase agreement letter and a Deed of Assignment covering the apartment to Danso, who took possession and occupied the property.

Superintendent Yirenkyi said on March 26, 2023, at 1830 hours, Danso visited the apartment and discovered that Nketia had removed and changed the locks and denied him access to the unit and other property within it for no apparent reason. He said Danso reported the matter to the police, which led to Nketia’s arrest.

Nketia denied being aware of the sale of the apartment to Danso through Maglo. Maglo was apprehended for questioning and admitted in a cautioned statement that he received USD270,000.00 from Danso for the sale of the apartment but forged the property owner’s signature to prepare a fake and fraudulent Sales and Purchase agreement, as well as the Deed of Assignment that he handed to the complainant.

Danso returned to the apartment three days later while the case was still being investigated and discovered that Nketia had returned and changed the locks for the second time, allowing new tenants to occupy the apartment despite his belongings being kept there.

In the process of investigations, Maglo refunded USD40, 000.00 to the police which is retained for evidential purposes. The court has since given an order for the apartment to be locked after inventory was taken of all the rooms, including the belongings of Danso. But this is yet to be carried out.