Estate agent on GHC150,000.00 bail over fraud

Accra-Ghana, Nov. 03, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GHC150,000.00 bail with three sureties to an estate agent for allegedly defrauding a woman of GHC360,500.00 under the pretext of securing her two plots of land.
The Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah ordered that two of the sureties should be justified.
Joseph Ofosu pleaded not guilty to fraudulent transaction of land.
He will return to the Court on December 7, 2022.
Inspector of Police Cyrus Conduah, who held the brief of Chief Inspector Samuel Ahiabor, said Mrs Isabella Odartey-Wellington, the complainant was a businesswoman at Comet Estate, Ashong man, whilst Ofosu, the accused person, was an estate agent of Strong Hand Behind Agency, living at Ayi Mensah.
He said the complainant was looking for a piece of land to buy in December 2021 when he came into contact with the accused and the accused offered her two plots of land for sale at Pantang at the price of GHC360,000.00.
The prosecution said the accused told the complainant he was authorised to sell the land by the Afutu Brempong Family.
The Court heard that the complainant made her enquiries to ascertain whether the land in the area belonged to the said family, and made part payment of GH¢194,500.00 to the accused.
The prosecution said the complainant went on the land to start her development but was driven away from the land by another claimant who said the Afutu Brempong family had sold the land to him some years back.
It said the complainant called the accused and informed him about her encounter on the land but the accused did not go to her aid and rather avoided her phone calls.
The prosecution said the complainant reported the matter to the Police, which led to the arrest of the accused.
It said in his cautioned statement, the accused said that, one Isaac of the Afutu Brempong family authorised him to sell the land but failed to take Police to the house of the said Isaac for his arrest.
The accused, prosecution said, refunded GHC20,000.00 during investigation and same was kept as exhibit.
After investigations he was charged with the offence and brought before the court.