Kwame Asiedu, 38, who defrauded a miner of GH¢2,000.00 under the pretence of hiring an excavator to him, was on Tuesday sentenced to 14 months imprisonment in hard labour by the Suhum Magistrate’s Court.
Police Chief Inspector Ben Nyonator, prosecuting, told the Court, presided over by Mrs Naomi Akyeanu that Asiedu resides at Kyebi whilst the complainant stays at Asiakwa in the East Akyem Municipality.
He said in February this year, the complainant and his co-miner, were looking for excavator to work on their mining concession.
The prosecutor said Asiedu who had the information, approached them and introduced himself as an excavator operator who could assist them to get the facility.
The complainant therefore gave Asiedu GH¢1,000.00 to travel to Takoradi where he claimed he could get the machine.
Asiedu on the following day went to the complainant and told him that the owner of the excavator was demanding GH¢1,500.00 before releasing the machine.
He also requested the complainant to give him GH¢500.00 to enable him cart the excavator to Asiakwa.
The prosecutor said, Asiedu after receiving the money switched off his mobile phone and went into hiding and that all attempts to trace him proved futile.
At about 0800 hours on June 24, Asiedu was arrested in connection with another fraud case and the complainant went to the police station and identified him and during interrogation he admitted the crime and was charged with the offence.