Court adjourns Tsumasi-Appiah's case

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 (Page 16 - Centre Spread)
THE case involving the Member of Parliament for Sene, Felix Twumasi-Appiah, who is standing trial with a Spanish business partner for fraud and stealing was today adjourned because the MP was indisposed.
Counsel for the MP, Mr Josh Nimako, informed the Circuit Court of the MP’s state when the matter was called at the court’s sitting in Accra today.
The matter has accordingly been adjourned to May 24, 2010.
The MP, who has been granted a self-recognisance bail in the sum of GH¢100,000, was alleged to have committed the offence with Huan Carlos, a Spanish businessman.
Carlos has also been granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with three sureties.
The court declined to order the release of Carlos’s passport after his lawyer prayed the court to release the passport on the grounds that the accused persons had paid part of the money.
The two, who have been accused of defrauding a businessman to the tune of $30,000, have pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy, stealing and defrauding by false pretences.
The facts of the case are that the complainant, Juan Francisco Lozano, a Spanish businessman, was on a visit to Ghana to transact business.
In March 2010, a certain Nana Kwame Donkor, another businessman, had a transaction with Mr Lozano for his company to supply the latter with gold worth $160,000 in three tranches.
According to the prosecution, Nana Donkor was unable to supply the third tranche of gold and therefore promised to refund the remaining money to the complainant.
The prosecution stated that Nana Donkor then contacted the MP to help in the transfer of the money back to the complainant in instalments, since it was not possible to transfer the amount in cash through the banks and as a result, two blank cheques were signed by Nana Donkor and left for the accused persons to facilitate the transfer.
The prosecution said the money was to get to Spain through two persons who were called Ibrahim and Ishmael, and when Nana Donkor sent the money through the account of the two persons in Spain, they bolted with it.
In addition, Nana Donkor paid $30,000 as part payment to the police for the money to be given to the complainant.
According to the prosecution, the MP directed Carlos to go to the office of the Commander of the Commercial Unit, Superintendent Yaa Tiwaa Danso, where Carlos claimed that Mr Lozano was sick and could not come to Ghana and had, therefore, instructed him (Carlos) to collect the money on his behalf.
The prosecution noted that it was only later after contacting Nana Donkor about the remaining money that Lozano was told that it had been given to the police to be given back to him.
It said Lozano contacted the police and was told the money had been sent to him through his friend Carlos.