By
Joyce Danso, GNA
Accra, Nov. 19, GNA –
A former Naval Officer and another who allegedly collected $10,000 from a
businessman to process a $48-million loan facility from a bank in United
Kingdom but failed have been convicted by a Circuit Court in Accra.
Captain Retired
(Rtd) Benoni Obeng Asihene was sentenced to a fine of GH¢3,600.00 or in default
he would serve eight months in prison.
Kweku Asare Turkson,
a 43-year-old Marketing Consultant and an accomplice who is on the run, was
sentenced to four years imprisonment in hard labour in absentia.
Asihene and Turkson
were also ordered by the court to refund the $10,000 to the complainant.
Delivering her
judgement, the court presided over by Mrs Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye, found the
two accused persons guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and
defrauding by false pretenses.
Capt. Rtd Asihene
who is also a farmer was additionally charged with issuing a false cheque.
The two had earlier
on denied the charges and the court presided over by Mrs Jane Harriet Akweley
Quaye after trial convicted them.
Prosecution said the
complainant Dr Martin Luther Obeng is a businessman and the Chief Executive
officer of Mc Palmas Limited based in Accra.
Prosecution said the
Capt. Rtd Asihene is the Manager of Horticulture and Wood Products Limited
which dealt in horticulture and wood products.
According to the
prosecution, Asihene and Turkson claim to be representatives of Fairbak
Capital, a firm they alleged was based in the United Kingdom.
Prosecution said
Turkson and the complainant have been friends and due to their acquaintance in
2014, Turkson introduced Asihene to the complainant saying they were both
representatives of Fairbak Capital in Ghana.
According to the
prosecution, the two accused persons informed the complainant that they could
assist him secure $48-million loan for his haulage trucks and trailers
business.
On October 15, 2014,
the complainant applied for the loan facility through Horticulture and Wood
Products Limited.
Prosecution said in
March 2015, the complainant through Turkson paid $10,000 into the dollar
account of Horticulture and Wood Products Limited held at Barclays Bank Ghana
Limited Dansoman Branch, Accra.
The Prosecution said
after the complainant had paid the $10,000 as loan processing fee, the convicts
failed to secure the said loan.
The court heard that
a report was made to the Police and on May 18, 2016, the two convicts were
arrested.
The Prosecution said
during interrogation the convicts admitted receiving the money and explained
that the complainant however refused to submit a bank guarantee for the loan
facility.
Prosecution said
investigations however revealed that there was no relationship between Fairbak
Capital and Horticulture and Wood Products Limited.
Prosecution said the
accounts of Horticulture and Wood Products belong to one Victor Ababio adding
that Horticulture and Wood Products Limited did not engage in financial
transactions.
On June 17, 2017,
Asihene issued a cheque with the face value of $ 3,800 but same was
dishonoured.
GNA
