3 remanded over alleged GH¢620,000 gold scam

 A 59-year-old car dealer, and two others accused of swindling a businessman of GH¢620,000, in a gold transac­tion, have been remanded in police custody by the Achimota Circuit Court.

Gbegoueu Evrard, a French, is said to have collected the money under the pretext of selling to the complainant, Hayford Boadi, gold, but failed.

Evrard is facing a charge of defrauding by false pretences.

His accomplices, Ernest Kweku Antwi, a 32-year-old aluminum fabricator, and Jordan Ansah, a 24-year-old private security man, are also being remanded.

Evrard and his two accomplic­es have been jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit defrauding by false pretence.

Antwi and Ansah have pleaded not guilty to the charge, but Evrard‘s plea could not be taken by the court, presided over by Mr Isaac Addo, because there was no French interpreter.

The judge ordered the Registrar of the court to make arrangement for a French interpreter to assist at the next sitting on March 13.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Ahiale said the complainant was a resident of Dunkwa-on-Offin in the Central Region.

The prosecution said in 2021, Evrard told the witness that he had a friend in Ghana, who dealt in refined gold.

 ASP Ahiale said the witness contacted the complainant and informed him (complainant) about the business, and he (the com­plainant) expressed interest in the transaction.

The court heard that the complainant contacted Evrard on mobile phone through the witness expressing his desire to import raw gold.

ASP Ahiale said Evrard told the witness and complainant that his friend who, was a gold dealer, needed money to perform rituals on the gold before it could be sold.

Prosecution said Evrard took photographs of himself and the gold, and forwarded the footages to the complainant and the witness.

ASP Ahiale said based on that representation, the complainant sent GH¢620,000 in bits to Evrard, through the witness for the rituals.

The court heard that after Evrard collected the money, he failed tohonour his promise, and “kept tossing the complainant and witness with different stories.”

ASP Ahiale said the witness lured Evrard with another gold business transaction for a white man in Accra.

Prosecution said Evrard on hearing the quantum of money involved, conspired with Antwi and Ansah, and another man, Abdal­lah, now at large, to defraud the witness.

The prosecutor said Evrard invited the witness to meet him (Evrard) in Accra, to see the gold.

 ASP Ahiales aid the witness on his arrival in Accra from Ivory Coast, reported the case to the police for investigations.

The prosecution said Evrard met the witness in Accra, and took him to a gated house at Lapaz Fishpond, to meet a man called Abdullai, who was his partner for the gold business.

ASP Ahiale said the police arrested the three accused at a busi­ness meeting in the gated house in possession of five coated metallic objects, looking like refined gold bars.

The prosecution said Abdullai, however, escaped through a back door of the house.

ASP Ahiale said that the exhib­its have being forwarded for an As­say testing and report, to enhance investigation. —GNA

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