A 29-year-old driver has appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH¢242,000.

Michael Arthur is alleged to have collected the amount at Gbawe in July 2025 under the pretext of selling an unregistered Toyota RAV4 to the complainant but failed to deliver the vehicle.

Charged with defrauding by false pretences, Arthur pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Mrs Nancy Teiko Searyoh, admitted Arthur to bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 with three sureties, all of whom must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

Two of the sureties must be civil servants earning not less than GH¢5,000 a month.

Additionally, the court ordered the accused to report to the Gbawe Police Station every Tuesday until otherwise directed.

The court also ordered the prosecution to file disclosures for case management and adjourned the matter to May 4, 2026.

Inspector Emelia Mensah, the prosecutor, said the complainant, Mr Shadrack Asare, was a businessman residing at Bogoso.

Arthur, the accused, resided at Awoshie Water Works in Accra, she said.

Prosecution said in July 2025, the accused, who is a friend of the complainant, demanded and collected GH¢242,000 from him under the pretext of selling his unregistered Toyota RAV4.

Some days after collecting the money, the accused informed the complainant that he had imported some vehicles, including the RAV4 he intended to sell to him, and sent a photograph of the vehicle as evidence.

The court heard that days later, the accused informed the complainant that the container had arrived but the RAV4 was not included and promised to refund the money.

However, the accused failed to refund the money and relocated.

Prosecution said the complainant’s own investigations led to the arrest of the accused on February 23, 2026.

In his cautioned statement, Arthur admitted collecting the money and stated that he had given it to a friend, whom he mentioned only as Clinton, who lives in Dubai, to purchase the vehicle for the complainant.

He further told the police that he had since lost contact with the said Clinton and did not know his whereabouts.