A currency trader who allegedly dishonestly appropriated various sums of money belonging to three traders has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Mahamud Adams Sidik is alleged to have collected $14,000 and 800,000 Naira.
He is said to have asked traders to pay the above sums into a friend’s account to avert an attack by armed robbers in Nigeria, where they were going to purchase items to offer for sale in Ghana.
After collecting the money, Sidik went into hiding.
Charged with three counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Sidik has pleaded not guilty.
The Court has admitted Sidik to bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 with two sureties to be justified.
The matter has been adjourned to November 25, 2024.
Prosecution led by Inspector Mina Kwafo told the Court that the complainants—Wango Abdul Karim, Twaficatu Alhassan, and Rakia Urman—are businesspeople residing in Accra New Town and Sapeiman, all in Accra.
Prosecutors stated that Sidik also resided in Accra New Town.
In 2022, 2023, and 2024, Sidik collected cash of $1,000, $13,000, and 800,000 Naira, respectively, from the three complainants.
According to the prosecution, Sidik told the complainants that he was sending the money through his friend’s bank account in Abidjan and Nigeria to avoid any armed robbery attack and that they would withdraw the money when they got to their destinations.
The prosecution said the complainants were traveling to Abidjan and Nigeria to buy goods to sell in Ghana.
The Court heard that based on the false representation, Sidik succeeded in obtaining the money from the complainants but failed to honor his promise, and all efforts made to get the money back have proved futile.
The prosecution said Sidik was nabbed in Ashiaman, and in his caution statement, he admitted the offense in the presence of an independent witness.
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