A 40-Year-old man, Alhaji Fareed Amin Yakubu, who allegedly took GH3 million from a businesswoman under the pretext of investing it in an oil business and paying back is being sort after by the police.
This is because the accused has jumped bail.
The accused stopped attending court proceedings after he was granted bail by the Circuit in Accra, presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah on October 13, 2023.
Consequently, Alhaji Yakubu, charged with defrauding by false pretence and two counts of issuing fake cheque is being tried in absentia.
Prosecuting, Superintendent of police, Mr Augustus Yirenkyi told the court that the complainant, Madam Darling Tuffour, resides at Tessa Avenue, East Legon, while the accused lives in Ashongman.
He said Alhaji Fareed approached Madam Tuffuor in the early part of 2021, claiming that he needed money to clear a consignment of oil from the port.
The court heard that Alhaji Fareed requested and was given GHS 3 million by the complainant in two tranches.
Supt. Yirenkyi said the accused claimed he would pay back shortly.
He said the complainant, being convinced that this was a young man trying to establish himself as a legitimate business man, accepted post dated cheques from Alhaji Fareed.
However, when the period came for repayment, both cheques were declined by the respective banks.
The prosecutor told the court that the complainant was asked by Alhaji Fareed to re-present the cheques later.
On those dates, the cheques bounced again.
He then went into hiding, evading the Complainant.
As last resort, the matter was reported to the Police. After a long search, publications and declaring the Accused “wanted”, he was finally apprehended and put before the Circuit Court in August 2023. The Court, in its magnanimity, granted him bail on October 10, 2023.
Similar to how he had evaded arrest for long periods of time, the accused had since refused to show up in court and once again gone into hiding.
The case against him in the Circuit Court is being tried in his absence while the hunt for him continues.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
