A 40-year-old businessman has been dragged before a court for allegedly defrauding a retired judge an amount of GH¢300,000 under the guise of selling a plot of land to him.
Charles Amoateng, according to court documents, took the money from the retired judge and provided a land which belonged to someone else.
He is also accused of failing to refund the total amount to the complainant despite several pledges to do so.
Charles Amoateng has been granted a bail of GH¢200,000 by the court and has been ordered to provide two sureties.
The court, presided over by Enid Marful-Sau, further ordered that the sureties must deposit valid national identity cards with the Court’s Registry.
Brief Facts
Police Sergeant Faustina Asamoah, narrating the brief facts of the case, indicated that Justice Fred Kwesi Awuah, the complainant, is a retired High Court judge staying at Sarpeiman near Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region.
According to her, somewhere in December 2023, the complainant needed a piece of land to buy, and the accused person was introduced to him.
The brief facts state that Justice Awuah and the person who introduced Amoateng to him both met the accused person and he took them to a land located at Abor Village near Amasaman.
It said the complainant after developing interest in the land, was asked to pay GH¢400,000.
The retired judge made a part-payment of GH¢300,000, leaving a balance of GH¢100,000 to be paid after he had received the document covering the land.
Court documents state that the complainant later visited the land and realised that someone else was developing it, and when he contacted the accused person, he told the retired judge to hold on for some time.
The accused person further explained that the family had a problem with the land, which was being resolved at the court.
Justice Awuah (rtd) again confronted the accused person, who promised to give him a different piece of land, but the judge declined the offer and instead demanded a refund of his GH¢300,000.
Charles Amoateng only refunded GH¢100,000, and has since been unable to refund the remainder.
On November 19, 2024, the retired judge lodged a formal complaint at the Amasaman Divisional CID, leading to the arrest of Charles Amoateng.
In his caution statement, the accused admitted the offence and promised to refund the rest of the money, but failed to do so.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak