A 55-year-old man has appeared before an Adenta Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH¢500,000 under the pretext of securing an auctioned vehicle.

Bawah Yusif Sarkodie, an alleged national security operative, is accused of collecting the amount to facilitate the purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser.

The vehicle was purportedly seized by the government and auctioned at the Tema Harbour, but Sarkodie failed to deliver.

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

The court admitted him to bail in the sum of GH¢600,000 with two sureties and ordered him to report to the police every Monday.

Prosecution, led by Chief Superintendent of Police Patience Mario, told the court that the complainant, Charles Amoakoh, was a businessman engaged in car rental services at Adenta Pantang Junction, while the accused was a businessman resident at West Legon.

In May 2025, Sarkodie, who had been renting vehicles from the complainant, visited him at his garage and introduced himself as a National Security operative and an official of the National Democratic Congress, the prosecution said.

Sarkodie allegedly informed the complainant that he could assist him in acquiring Toyota Land Cruisers seized by the government and being auctioned at GH¢500,000 per vehicle at the Tema Harbour.

He further claimed to have an office near the Tema Community 18 Municipal Assembly and invited the complainant to meet him there with the money to facilitate the transaction.

On May 6, 2025, at about 1000 hours, the complainant, accompanied by two witnesses, met Sarkodie at the stated location, the prosecution said.

The court heard that Sarkodie requested the complainant to hand over the money, claiming it was needed to pay a token to some officials at the Assembly to enable easy access to the vehicle.

While seated in the complainant’s car, Sarkodie allegedly received the GH¢500,000, but deliberately left GH¢20,000, his Samsung mobile phone and two reflective jackets in the vehicle before entering one of the buildings at the Assembly, pretending he was going to make the payment.

Prosecution said the complainant waited for some time but became suspicious when Sarkodie failed to return.

A search for him proved futile, as he had switched off his phones and fled.

A complaint was subsequently lodged with the police, and Sarkodie was arrested on September 11, 2025, following investigations.

Further investigations revealed that the accused was allegedly involved in a series of similar fraudulent activities in Accra.

The case has been adjourned to March 9, 2026.