GhArticles.com Every News in Detail
An Accra Circuit Court is hearing a case involving a couple accused of defrauding an urban planner of GH₵320,000 under the pretext of selling him a parcel of land at Ofankor.
The accused, Abass Yaya (48) and Mamatha Kassim (52), both traders, face charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretenses. They have pleaded not guilty.
Presided over by Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah, the court remanded Yaya into police custody, while Kassim was granted bail of GH₵300,000 with two sureties. The case is set to continue on January 28, 2025.
According to Chief Inspector Daniel Danku, the complainant, Baba Yakubu Mahama, was approached in May 2022 by Yaya, who offered to sell him a parcel of land. The couple led the complainant to the land, with Kassim posing as the owner.
After conducting a preliminary search on the land, Mahama was pressured by Yaya to make a quick payment, citing interest from other buyers. Mahama eventually paid GH₵320,000, with the assurance of receiving the land and its documents.
After receiving the money, the couple went into hiding, and Mahama did not receive the documents. Investigations revealed the couple had sold the same parcel of land to two other individuals and handed the original documents to another buyer.
The complainant reported the matter to the police at Nima. The couple was arrested on December 16, 2024, from their hideouts. During questioning, both admitted to the offense, with Kassim confessing that Yaya instructed her to pose as the landowner and collect the money.
The accused, however, failed to assist the police in locating the other buyers or accomplices. The investigation continues.
