Kofi Adams
The National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams, has testified at an Accra Circuit Court in relation to a fraud case.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kamsak Limited Ghana, Arnold Asante, has allegedly defrauded Kofi Adams to the tune of GH¢840,000 under the pretext of financing a deal that involved the supply of tyres to Goldfields Mining Company Limited.
The self-styled businessman was dragged to court after he failed to pay the money per an agreement between the two.
He has since been granted bail in the sum of GH¢900,000 with six sureties, who must be gainfully employed.
He is also to submit his passport to the court’s registry, and also report to the Commercial Crime Unit and case investigator, Inspector Dorglo every two weeks.
Led in his evidence in chief by ASP Stephen Adjei, Kofi Adams told the court that the accused person in December 2016 approached him and requested for an amount of GH¢840,000 to pre-finance a tyre contract he had won at Goldfields Mining Company Limited, Tarkwa.
According to him, he gave Arnold the said amount which was expected to be paid after three weeks – but the accused reneged on his promise.
Kofi Adams stated that efforts to retrieve the money proved futile.
He narrated that Arnold, in a phone call on February 20, 2017, expressed readiness to pay the money.
Kofi Adams said he directed the accused person to pay the money into two separate bank accounts – GH¢500,000 into one account and GH¢340,000 into the other.
He said three days later, the money did not hit his accounts, and so he called Arnold to find out what was amiss.
He said the accused person told him to go to the National Investment Bank (NIB) in Tema to enquire and that if by the close of that day the money had not been transferred, he (Arnold) would address the problems in Accra.
Kofi Adams, who became suspicious of activities of Arnold, asked the accused to accompany him to Goldfields Mining Company in Tarkwa to confirm the deal, which the accused agreed to, but failed to do so later.
Mr. Adams said he investigated the matter and found out that the company did not give such deal to Arnold Asante.
He stated that he lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service against the accused person.
Asked by the defence counsel whether the accused has asked for his assistance, Kofi Adams stated that the accused previously asked him to encourage former President Jerry John Rawlings to attend an awards ceremony to honour artistes, which he did.
The presiding judge, Mrs Harriet Akweley Quaye adjourned the matter to December 18, 2017 for the cross-examination of Kofi Adams.
Fresh Arrest
Immediately after the court proceedings, Arnold Asante was arrested by the police for his alleged involvement in another fraudulent deal.
He was transported to the Airport Police Station.
The self-styled businessman has several cases before the various courts in the country.
Another case in which he allegedly defrauded the wife of a judge has been withdrawn from court.
By Gibril Abdul Razak