Many victims of a Susu scam in the Central Region, invaded the Cape Coast Circuit Court last Thursday, which was presided over by Justice Richard Aseidu Badu, to catch a glimpse of Samuel Kwesi Bentsil, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eburoaba Susu and his accomplice, Nana Fynn, an accountant of the same company.
The victims of the alleged fraudsters filled the court premises as some were seen weeping for their loss.
Eburoaba Susu has branches in Kasoa, Dunkwa-On-Offin, Mankessim, Agona Swedru and attracted a lot of customers because of the company’s policy of increasing the deposits of customers by 100 percent.
The two were charged on two counts of defrauding by false pretence and operating a bank without a license, but they pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded in Prison custody to re-appear on August 31, 2009.
Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Francis Kingsford Ockom, revealed that the two suspects operated Susu in the region and employed some people to collect the money on their behalf, with the intention of doubling the money of customers by 100 percent within three months.
Chief Inspector Ockom said that their operations attracted many people due to various advertisements on both radio and newspapers.
The prosecutor stated that Bentsil, the accused, collected monies from customers through the accountant; but failed to honour his promise of doubling the monies the of customers by 100 percent.
He further mentioned that efforts by customers to retrieve their actual monies proved futile; compelling them to report the matter to the Central Regional Police Command.
Chief Inspector Ockom explained that the accused were arrested and later granted bail with two sureties and were asked to report to the Police station, but they subsequently failed to report which compelled their sureties to bring them back to the Police because they had information that the two were planning to leave the country.
According to the Police, Bentsil collected GH¢ 655,055 from about 30 customers and used the money to purchase cars and other valuable items.
From Sarah Afful, Cape Coast
