A 48-year-old Miner has been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a school principal of GH₵286,500.
Hope Korbla Patamia collected the amount from the principal under the pretext of selling to him three plots of land Prampram but failed.
Patamia pleaded not guilty to a charge of defrauding by false pretences.
The court presided over by Kwabena Kodua Obiri granted Mr Patamia bail in the sum of GH₵150,000 with two sureties.
Mr Patamia was also ordered to deposit his passport with the court’s registry.
The matter has been adjourned to January 24, 2024.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Nyamekye, said the complainant, Patrick Apea Danquah, is school proprietor.
Mr Patamia, according to the prosecution, also operates a block factory and resides at Prampram.
The prosecution said Mr Patamia contacted Mr Danquah and offered to sell him three plots of land out of six he had put up for sale.
Mr Danquah subsequently bargained with Mr Patamia and agreed to pay GH₵90,000 per plot.
According to the prosecution, Mr Danquah therefore paid GH₵270,000 to the defendant through two of his bank accounts.
He paid GH₵180,000 through Fidelity Bank and GH₵106,500 through Absa Bank.
Mr Danquah also paid GH₵16,500 for documentation and 1,000 pieces of block.
The prosecution said Mr Danquah then began erecting a wall around the three plots, but it was demolished.
The prosecutor told the court that Mr Patamia was notified of the development, but he did nothing about the demolished wall.
Mr Danquah became alarmed at that point and demanded a refund of his money, but Mr Patamia could not refund the money and went into hiding.
On May 17, 2023, Mr Danquah reported the matter to the police and the miner was arrested.
The prosecution said Mr Patamia admitted the crime in his caution statement.
During the investigation, findings at the Lands Commission by the Police showed that the land belonged to the Tetteh Wayoo Family of Prampram.
According to the prosecution, Mr Patamia was not a member of the said family and failed to lead the police to the person who sold him the land in question.
The prosecution said the Police retrieved GH₵50,000 from Patamia, which was being presented as an exhibit in the case.
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