June 4, 2011 (Lead Story)
A farmer who allegedly impersonated the owner of the Association International School (AIS) and succeeded in defrauding a chartered accountant named Frederick Sappor to the tune of GH¢450,000 and $15,000 has been remanded in custody by the Accra Circuit Court.
Emmanuel Kwabena Gainfort managed to procure a passport bearing the name of the original owner of the school, Emmanuel George Amoah, to defraud the accountant.
Four other accomplices — Collins Amoateng, Nana Bonsu, Arka and Bismark Osei Danso — are currently on the run.
Gainfort will reappear before the court, presided over by Mr Eric Kyei-Baffour, on June 14, 2011.
He pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences.
The facts of the case are that a year ago the complainant wanted a plot of land to buy and, therefore, contacted a number of agents to assist.
The complainant then received a call from Amoateng, who said he had a parcel of land at the Airport Residential Area for sale.
The agent led the complainant to the said land for inspection but the complainant later said he was not in a position to buy it.
However, the complainant's brother-in-law, who is a chartered accountant, later expressed interest in the said land which was situated at the Nursery Section of the AIS.
The chartered accountant then met Gainfort, who introduced himself as the owner of the AIS.
He was able to produce a passport and other documents bearing the name of the owner of the AIS in his bid to convince the accountant to part with money.
The complainant went to the Lands Commission to verify the authenticity of Gainfort's claims and the search there proved that the owner of the school was, indeed, George Emmanuel Amoah.
Satisfied with the outcome of the search, the complainant and his brother-in-law paid the $15,000 and GH¢450,000 to Gainfort and Amoateng.
The complainant, after a few days, went to conduct further inspection on the land and, in the process, met a number of people who said they were potential buyers on inspection.
On realising that his brother in-law had been defrauded, he made strenuous efforts to get in touch with Gainfort, all to no avail.
The complainant conducted further investigations and found out that Gainfort had impersonated the original owner of the AIS.
The complainant, accordingly, lodged a complaint with the police on May 30, 2011, leading to the subsequent arrest of Gainfort at his hideout at Kpando.
Efforts are underway to apprehend the other accused persons.
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