Kofi Adams
An Accra circuit court has granted bail to Arnold Asante, chief executive officer (CEO) of Kamsak Limited, in the sum of GH¢900,000 with six sureties who are gainfully employed.
The self-styled businessman was hauled before the court for allegedly defrauding Kofi Adams, National Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The court, presided over by Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye, also ordered Arnold Asante to submit his passport to the registry of the court.
He is also to report himself at the Commercial Crime Unit and to the case investigator, Inspector Dorglo,- every two weeks.
Lawyer for the accused, Samuel Akuffo, yesterday filed a motion for bail for his client.
In his argument, he told the court that the accused person was unwell and is currently on admission at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Mr Akuffo said the accused has a fixed place of abode in Accra and that he would not in any way interfere with police investigation.
He therefore prayed the court to grant him bail pending trial.
The judge however retorted that if the accused person was unwell and was on admission, per the story of the lawyer, then the hospital is the safest place for him to be.
But the accused person’s council prayed the court to also consider the liberty of the suspect and allow him to return home, should he be discharged from the hospital.
State prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Adjei, also prayed the court to order an independent medical examination into the health of the suspect, preferably at the 37 Military or Police Hospital.
He said the accused might be resorting to the excuse of not feeling well to avoid coming to court and maintained that the independent medical examination would ascertain whether the accused person is truly unwell as his lawyer wants the court to believe.
The case has been adjourned to October 18, 2017.
Mr. Arnold Asante has been dragged before the court for allegedly defrauding Kofi Adams the sum of GH¢840,000.
According to the prosecutor, ASP Stephen Adjei, in the month of December 2016 in Accra, Arnold took the money with intent to pre-finance a tyre supply contract he had secured from Goldfields Mining Company Limited, Tarkwa.
The prosecution stated that the accused failed to pay back the said money to the NDC Youth Organizer.
Meanwhile, another fraud case levelled against Mr. Asante at the same court has been withdrawn.
He was charged for defrauding the wife of a Kumasi high court judge the sum of GH¢62,000 under the pretext of buying an auctioned Range Rover vehicle for the complainant within one week.
The accused was also facing an additional charge of issuing a false Barclays Bank cheque with face value of GH¢50,000 to the complainant when he knew there were inadequate funds in the said account.
But Inspector Emmanuel Haligah told the court that the complainant had written to the prosecuting officer to withdraw the case from court.
No reason was given for the withdrawal.
By Gibril Abdul Razak