Amasaman: A 40-year-old businessman, accused of defrauding a retired judge of GHC300,000.00 under the pretext of securing him a plot of land, has been granted bail by the Amasaman Circuit Court. Charles Amoateng was granted a GHC200,000.00 bail and is to get two people to stand as sureties for him. The court, presided over by Ms Enid Marful-Sau, ordered that the sureties deposit valid national identity cards with the Court's Registry. Amoateng will make his next appearance on April 2, 2025.
According to Ghana News Agency, the complainant in the case, Justice Fred Kwesi Awuah, is a retired High Court Judge residing in Sarpeiman near Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region. The accused, Charles Amoateng, is a businessman involved in estate development and resides at the Amasaman Stadium area.
Prosecution details that in December 2023, Justice Awuah was in search of a piece of land to purchase, leading to his introduction to Amoateng. After meeting with Amoateng and another individual, they were shown a plot of land located at Abor village near Amasaman. The complainant expressed interest in the land and was asked to pay GHC400,000.00. A part-payment of GHC300,000.00 was made, with a balance of GHC100,000.00 to be settled upon receipt of the land documentation.
The court heard that upon visiting the land, Justice Awuah discovered ongoing development by another party. Upon inquiry, Amoateng advised the complainant to wait, citing a family dispute over the land being resolved in court. When Justice Awuah confronted Amoateng again, the businessman offered a different plot of land, which was refused by the complainant who instead demanded a refund of his GHC300,000.00. Amoateng refunded only GHC100,000.00.
On November 19, 2024, Justice Awuah filed a formal complaint with the Amasaman Divisional CID, resulting in Amoateng's arrest. In his caution statement, Amoateng admitted the offense and promised repayment of the remaining funds but failed to do so, leading to his arraignment after further investigations.
