Syndicate busted in $325,000 gold fraud

• Posted on August 16, 2016August 16, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Four persons are in the grips of the police for defrauding a Dubai businessman, one Mr Dawti, of $325,000 under the pretext of selling him gold.

The suspects are Mark Kojo Conry, 42 years; Richard Obeng Osei, 38; Kofi Amehoun, 34; and Aikins Ameho, 40.

Two other suspects indicted in the case are at large: Emmanuel Kwesi Dotse and Samuel Kofi Grant.

Speaking to the issue, the Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP) Timothy Yosa Bonga, stated that the two suspects at large engaged the victim in a series of conversations and convinced him that they had genuine gold for sale.

According to him, the victim expressed interest in purchasing the gold and came down to Ghana on June 28 to meet the duo.

On his arrival, Samuel and Emmanuel took him to Iteltec Investment Ghana Limited located at East Legon to examine the said gold.

ACP Bonga detailed that after the examination was completed, Mark, Kofi and Emmanuel went with the victim to his hotel, where he paid them $325,000 in cash for 13 kilograms of gold.

After the money was paid to the suspects, they asked the victim to excuse them while they go to the bank to deposit the money.

The victim, after waiting for several hours, placed several calls to the suspects, which were not answered.

Distressed, worried and alarmed, the victim broke the seal on the safety box the suspects gave to him to find 13 coated metal slabs which were not gold.

When all efforts to trace the suspects failed, the victim went back home.

Soon after he got back home, Mark and Kofi contacted him with a different telephone number and told him they had some gold for sale.

The Dubai businessman flew back to Ghana on August 11 with the hopes of securing genuine gold this time around.

On his arrival, he met Kofi, Mark, Richard and Aikins, and discussed a deal to sell to him some amount of gold at $400,000.

After the deal, they all proceeded to Iteltec Investment Limited to examine the gold intended for sale.

The Accra Regional Police Command had a tip off based on Police Intelligence and immediately dispatched a team to the scene, where three suspects were arrested whilst Aikins took to his heels, but he was also apprehended later.

After the arrest, police retrieved a similar safety box which was used in duping the victim and two yellowish metallic substances which Richard claimed to be genuine gold.

A comb through their phones showed conversations and photographs they had shared with the victim and other unsuspecting ones they also duped.

Upon interrogation, the suspects admitted the offense. Police investigations are still ongoing after which they would be arraigned before court.