An unemployed man who allegedly swindled a businessman of a piece of land valued at GHC170,000 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Davis Nii Odai Afotey, charged with conspiracy to commit crime and fraudulent transaction of land, pleaded not guilty.
His accomplices, namely Elvis Okley and Nii Bortey, aka Azoor, are said to be at large.
The Court presided over by Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah has admitted Afotey to bail in the sum of GHC100,000 with three sureties, one to be justified.
The Court also ordered Afotey to report to the police once every week.
The matter has been adjourned to February 25, 2025.
Prosecution led by Chief Inspector Daniel Danku said the complainant was a resident of Adentan while Afotey resided in Nungua Nautical, Accra.
In January 2023, the complainant saw a parcel of land located at East Legon Hills and expressed interest.
Prosecution said the complainant, after making some inquiries, met Afotey, the first accused, who claimed ownership of the land.
The Court heard that the parties in the case agreed on a price of GHC170,000 for the land.
Prosecution said the complainant made an advance payment of GHC110,000 to Afotey, who promised to produce documents covering the land.
Afotey later produced and handed over a site plan to the complainant to conduct a search at the Land Commission.
Prosecution said after the search, it was established that the site plan given to the complainant by the accused had nothing to do with land the complainant paid for.
When the complainant confronted Afotey, he told him that the said land had been sold to another person by his elder brother.
Prosecution told the Court that Afotey promised to replace the land for the complainant and led him to the two other accused persons who are at large, saying they were his uncles and that they were the custodians of the land he intended to sell to him.
The prosecution therefore led the complainant to Kpone Katamanso and made him pay GHC 26,000 for documentation and other expenses before he could develop the land.
When the complainant later visited the said land, he discovered the land had been sold and the same did not belong to the two other accused persons.
The prosecution said all efforts made by the complainant to locate the two other accused persons had been futile.
A report was made to the police, and Afotey was arrested from his hideout at Nungua.
Afotey, in his cautioned statement, admitted the offense and mentioned the two absconding accused persons as his accomplices.
