An Accra Circuit Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a woman accused of collecting GH₵100,000 from a businessman to secure him a contract under the Ghana Cocoa Roads project.

Mercy Lilina Danquah, 38, after collecting the money allegedly failed to honour her promises. 

Danquah, who has been charged with defrauding by false pretenses, failed to appear in court when the case was presented. 

The prosecution, led by Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, therefore, applied for a bench warrant for her arrest. 

The court presided over by Mrs. Ellen Ofei Ayeh obliged the prosecution’s request. 

The matter has been adjourned to October 11, 2023. 

The case of the prosecution was that the complainant Bright Asante-Appiah was a businessman residing in East Legon while the accused person, Mercy, resides in Batsona. 

The prosecution said in May 2021, the complainant approached Renaissance African Group to assist him in funding his project. 

During the deliberation, the prosecution said it was detected that he (Complainant) was below their minimum funding. 

Renaissance African Group, however, introduced the complainant to the accused at the Octagon Towers, who introduced herself as overseeing the Ghana Mining Sector Road Rehabilitation Secretariat and that she could assist him in securing a Cocoa Road Contract of $10 million. 

The prosecution alleged that the accused demanded and collected GH₵100,000 as a contract fee under the pretext of securing the contract for the complainant in September 2021. 

It said Mercy, after collecting the money, failed to honour her promise and kept giving excuses to the complainant. 

On July 31, 2021, a complaint was lodged at the Adabraka Police Station where the accused person was arrested and during investigation, she admitted to receiving the complainant’s money. 

The prosecution said the accused person indicated that the money was paid to facilitate the establishment of the said Ghana Mining Sector Road Rehabilitation Secretariat, a new office, to secure the contract for him. 

It said investigation, however, established that there was no existence of such a Secretariat under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as alleged by the accused person. 

The prosecution said the Secretariat had also not been registered at the Registrar Generals’ Department. 

The said office, being used as the Secretariat, located at Octagon Towers in Accra, has been locked following the commencement of the case. 

The prosecution said the accused has requested time to refund the amount. 

On January 24, 2023, Mercy refunded GH₵10,000 and the same has been kept as an exhibit.