A man who posed as a staff of the West African Pipeline Company to allegedly dupe a National Security Operative of GH?5,000.00 has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
He had promised to supply his victim with a quantity of oil well cement. The bail sum was GH?20,000.00 with two sureties to be justified of which one should be a public servant earning not less than GH?2,000.00.
Jonas Awuah Tabi, alias Kwabena, a driver, whose video went viral after his arrest, pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretense.
His accomplices, only named as Johnson, Foster, Abu and Don are on the run.
Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Apiorsornu, told the Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah that, Mr Hopeson Yaovi Adorye, the complainant is a National Security Operative.
He said on January 28, 2019, the accused called the complainant and introduced himself as Johnson Owusu Ansah, a former employee of the Ministry of Works and Housing but currently working with the West African Gas Pipeline Company.
Prosecution said the accused explained that his institution uses a product known as “Oil Well Cement” which is scarce on the market, thus, he wanted the complainant to replace his former supplier who cheated him in the course of their dealings.
He further told the complainant that a parcel of the substance is sold at GH?5,000.00, which he can supply to the West African Gas Pipeline company at a higher price.
The prosecution said the accused then gave a contact of the supposed former supplier to the complainant for him to buy a sample from him of which the complainant obliged.
Detective Chief Inspector Apiorsornu said the complainant called the supposed contact person, who asked that they meet at Awoshie and the said supplier then sold a parcel of the substance to him at GH?5,000.00.
He said after the transaction, the complainant found out that the substance was just a mixture of sand and cement and contacted the accused who directed him again to buy a box that contained twelve parcels of the substance at the cost of GH?60,000.00.
The prosecution said the complainant then became suspicious and on January 29, 2020, the accused asked him to meet the supplier at the Nyaho Clinic area to buy a box of the substance to be sold to the company.
He said when the accused showed up, he was arrested and during investigations, he confessed that they were five in number, including two foreigners and had duped countless people.
Prosecution said other victims have been reporting to the Criminal Investigations Department, Headquarters and have identified the accused as the one who used the same modus operandi to take their monies.
He said the Police are yet to retrieve the GH?5,000.00 but have recovered the 21 parcels of the mixture and prayed the court to refuse the accused bail.
Mr Yaw Dankwa, his counsel in praying for bail said his client has been in custody since January this year.