An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GHS200,000 bail with four sureties to a road contractor for allegedly defrauding a businessman under the pretext of giving him a gold mine concession.
The Court presided over by Evelyn Asamoah also ordered that two out of the sureties should be Public servants earning not less than GHS2,000.
Prince John Baidoo, 68, has denied the offence of defrauding by false pretense and will make his next appearance on September 9, 2021.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseini Yakubu in pleading with the Court to remand Baidoo, said he (Baidoo) was arraigned on October 19, 2020 but he failed to attend court though his counsel had been present.
He said a bench warrant was therefore issued by the Court and a forfeiture served on his sureties leading to Baidoo’s arrest on August 17, 2021.
A lawyer, who held brief for Baidoo’s lawyer- Bright Akwatey, said upon the accused person’s arrest, GHS10,000 was paid to show his commitment to refund the money.
He prayed the Court that Baidoo should not be remanded because of his bad health condition, his age and the COVID-19, adding that the accused person had challenges with the court dates hence, he could not attend court.
The lawyer said the challenges for not coming to court would be proved in the course of trial, accused would be available to stand trial and had a fixed place of abode.
ASP Yakubu said Abdulai Issaka Pangasur, the complainant, was the Managing Director of Cadmus Mining Limited whilst Baidoo lived at Weija.
In May 2019, complainant was in need of a gold mining concession and he was introduced to the accused person by one Asiamah and he took the complainant to the accused’s office at the Airport Residential Area.
He said in a meeting, the accused introduced himself as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Divine Timing Limited and also presented maps to the gold mining concession in the name of Divine Timing Limited, afterwards, the two signed an agreement for the accused to release 10 Kilometers Square of the concession to complainant.
Prosecution said the accused demanded for $200,000 for the 10 Kilometers square and asked complainant to make a down payment of $50,000 and after receiving the $50,000 as well GHS10,000, Baidoo arranged with complainant’s geologist to visit the Concession.
May 13, 2019, complainant’s geologist visited the mining concession at Anyinabrem where he met one Mr Mintah, the caretaker of the concession, who said one Mr Nkansah was the owner and he was not aware of anyone’s coming thus, he refused to allow the geologist to work on the said concession.
ASP Yakubu said armed with this information, the complainant called Mr Nkansah who told him he was rather the CEO of Divine Timing Limited as well as the concession and not the accused person. He explained that he did not also authorize the accused to conduct any business on his behalf.
Complainant, the Court heard, then petitioned the Police for investigation leading to Baidoo’s arrest. He admitted the offence.
Mr Nkansah when also invited told the Police that in May 2019, the accused and one Peter Chang informed him that the accused and his German wife whose father is a millionaire wanted to invest in gold mining in Ghana thus, needed a concession.
That they negotiated for the concession where the accused paid him $20,000 as entrance fee which was non-refundable stating that, throughout the period, the accused person never mentioned to the complainant to him, neither was he aware of the agreement between the complainant and the accused person, prosecution said.
ASP Yakubu said after the investigations, Baidoo was charged and put before the court.