MP’s Swindler Denied Bail

By Jeffrey De- Graft Johnson

By Jeffrey De- Graft Johnson



Benjamin Kofi Aryeh
Ben Say, Counsel for Stephen Amoah Maarfo yesterday failed to secure a bail for his client facing charges of defrauding one Benjamin Kofi Aryeh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Upper Denkyera West to the sum of GH¢ 600,000 by false pretence.

Amoah Maarfo is also accused of issuing false cheque and possessing forged documents.

When the case was called, Counsel Say’s plea to an Accra Circuit Court judge, Francis Obiri, to grant Amoah Maarfo bail was not considered.

He said the accused was not remanded because he was at the point of securing some money to repay the complainant before a formal complaint was lodged against him, and added, ‘As for the sentence, I will defer it but for a bail, I can’t.’

The facts of the case as presented before the court are that, Amoah Maarfo is a self-styled businessman resident at Dome, a suburb of Accra and that during August 2012, the accused collected a cash sum of GH¢ 600,000 from Mr Aryeh under the pretext of using some to facilitate the documentation and transfer of an amount of GH¢ 35 million which was lodged into the account of the accused in New York USA to Ghana.

According to the facts, Amoah Maarfo promised the Upper Denkyera West MP that the process would be completed within two weeks.

It said that the accused upon seeing the complainant issued a Zenith Bank cheque dated August 7, 2012 with a face valued of GH¢ 600,000 to be drawn by the complainant but when it was presented, it was dishonoured for lack of funds.

The accused has since failed to pay the money and has also vacated his place of abode.

It further stated that on March 20, 2013, Mr Aryeh lodged a complaint to the police leading to the arrest of accused.

Investigations disclosed that the accused used a forged letter claiming to have originated from the Financial Crime Enforcement Network, New York dated August  12, 2012 to convince the complainant, but when the said letter was verified, it was found to be forged.

Amoah Maarfo is expected to reappear before the court on February 17.

Comments:
Leave a comment. 0 comment so far.