Lawyer Charged With $400,000 Fraud

A private legal practitioner, Elis Kwame Quashigah, has been arrested and charged for allegedly defrauding an economist working with the African Development Bank to the tune of $400, 000.

The embattled lawyer Quarshigah, who was arraigned on Friday, February 3, 2023, was slapped with six charges, to wit defrauding by false pretenses, four counts of forgery of document and issue of false cheque.

According to a Starrfm.com.ghreport, the accused has since been granted bail in the sum of GH₵3 million with one surety, after he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Amoah Richard, has been directed by the court to file and serve disclosures and witness statements within time.

The circuit court, presided over by Her Honour Mrs. Rosemary Baah Tosu, has adjourned the case to February 28 for Case Management Conference.

Brief facts

Per the brief facts of the case, as presented to the court by Chief Inspector Amoah Richard, the complainant is Dr. Namawu Alhassan Alolo, an economist working at the African Development Bank Head Office based in Abidjan.

He said the accused, Elis Kwame Quashigah, is a private legal practitioner.

The prosecutor said, in November, 2021, the complainant was looking for a house online to buy and came across Jasano Real Estates Company and the owner is one Nana AmaSerwaah Nyarko.

Chief Inspector Amoah said, through discussions, Nana Ama Serwah Nyarko became the complainant’s agent and started looking for a house for the complainant to buy.

According to the prosecutor, in December 2021, Nana Ama Serwaah Nyarko told the complainant that, the accused person is selling a house in East Legon.

He said, thereafter, a meeting was arranged between the complainant and the accused.

He said the accused after the meeting led the complainant to inspect the house where they met a lady who is supposedly the occupant of the house.

Chief Inspector Amoah told the court that the lady took them around the house to inspect.

He said, the complainant and the accused bargained and agreed at US$400,000 for the house.

He said, the accused gave the complainant his Fidelity Bank accounts to pay the money in and the complainant made several transfers and cash deposit to the tune of $300.000.00 into the accused account.

The prosecutor said, the complainant also made a transfer of US$100,000.00 into Nana Ama Serwaah Nyarko Zenith Bank account for the same to be given to the accused.

He said the accused later confirmed to the complainant of having received the $100,000.00) and issued an official receipt of payment of $400,000.00 to the complainant.

The prosecutor said the complainant was to have taken possession of the property on May 22, 2022, which the accused person refused.

Demands

He said both Nana AmaSerwaah Nyarko and the accused person started giving her stories until the complainant decided to demand for her money.

Chief Inspector Amoah told the court that, the accused person issued a Fidelity Bank Cheque number 200044 with the face value of US$400,000 to complainant as a refund to be drawn on 15 April, 2022.

“Complainant presented the cheque on the date stated but it was dishonoured. On May 10, 2022, the complainant petitioned the police for investigation,” the prosecutor told the court.

“During the investigations, complainant gave the following documents to police: Land Certificate number GA 65224, vol. 53: Folio 2525, a letter head of Eagle S. Company Limited which contains a board resolution, Deed of assignment and Land Title Registry Form L.R.50 purportedly signed by a witness in this ease and stated that accused gave her the document on 24th day of May 2022.

“The accused person was arrested and in his cautioned statement, he admitted having given the above stated documents to the complainant and also received the said amount of money,” the prosecutor noted.

“These documents were later verified from the source and it came out to be forged. Accused person has so far refunded a total of One Hundred and thirty-nine thousand, five hundred and fifty United States Dollar ($139,550.00) which was handed over to the complainant.

“After investigation, the accused person was charged with the offences. Efforts are also in progress to arrest Nana Ama Serwaah Nyarko for questioning,” Chief Inspector Amoah stated.

Source: Anchorghana