A self-acclaimed businessman, Bawa Yusif Sarkodie, has been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a contractor of GH¢400,000.  

Sarkodie and his accomplices, known as Yaw Sam and Fred, are alleged to have collected money from the complainant under the pretext of supplying him with a Wheel Loader machine, but failed to do so.  

Charged with conspiracy to commit the crime of defrauding by false pretences, Sarkodie has pleaded not guilty.  

The court presided over by Dora Eshun has admitted Sarkodie to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties to be justified.  

The matter has been adjourned to October 14, 2025.  

Prosecution’s case is that James Gyekye, the complainant, is a resident of Cape Coast.   

Sarkodie, the first accused person, is a self-acclaimed businessman at West Legon. Yaw Sam and Fred are all at large.  

Prosecution said in the early part of January 2025, the complainant in his quest to purchase a wheel loader for his works, informed one Isaac Ocran, a wheel loader driver and a witness in the case.  

The complainant and Ocran contacted Fred, currently at large, and he told them that his partner, Yaw Sam, has a nephew who is a staff member at the Flagstaff House and sells wheel loaders and other earth-moving machines in a garage at Shiashie.  

On January 31, 2025, the complainant and Ocran travelled from Cape Coast to Accra and met Yaw Sam on arrival.  

Yaw Sam then led them to meet Sarkodie at the Wheel Loader Garage around Shiashie, where Sarkodie posed as a Presidential staffer who doubled as a dealer in earth-moving machines, including wheel loaders.  

Sarkodie, after the initial introduction, left them and later returned with an ignition key of one of the wheel loaders parked at the entrance and same was inspected by the complainant and Ocran, the wheel loader driver.  

Later, Sarkodie led the complainant to Accra High Street GCB Branch, where the complainant withdrew an amount of GH¢400,000 and gave same to Sarkodie to facilitate documentations.   

On the receipt of the cash, Sarkodie brought the complainant to Flagstaff House main reception and told them to wait while he got the documents from his office and then abandoned the complainant at the reception and went into hiding.  

The complainant then reported the matter to the Police, and on September 15, 2025, Sarkodie was arrested at Weija in similar cases under investigation.  

In the course of the investigation, Sarkodie admitted the offence and corroborated the assertion of the complainant and mentioned Yaw Sam and Fred as his accomplices, but failed to lead the Police to arrest them.  

Prosecution said frantic efforts are being made for the arrest of Yaw Sam and Fred