The Ashiaman Circuit court last Wednesday adjourned a case involving Mr. Abu Hassan, a Scrap dealer accused defrauding one Mr. Abdulai Iliasu, a businessman of GHS 10,000. Presenting the facts of the case before the court, the prosecutor, Inspector Mary Assan stated that the accused, Mr. Abu Hassan approached Mr. Abdulai Iliasu (complainant) and his business partner on the 3 March 2011 and claimed he had a huge quantity of scrap mining equipment with BCM International Ltd, a mining and construction company. He claimed he had paid for the said scrap materials and only needed some amount of money to settle some of the company’s staff who will assist him convey the materials from the company’s premises. According to Inspector Assan, the accused took the complainant to the company’s engineering workshop at the Spintex road and showed him all the equipment that he claimed had been sold to him as scrap. Inspector Assan further stated that after assessing the equipment, the accused took Mr. Iliasu (complainant) to the office of the company’s engineer, one Mr. Andrews where he (accused) and the engineer had discussions regarding the said scrap equipment he was to convey. The complainant (Abdulai Iliasu) having been convinced that Abu Hassan by his interaction with the company’s engineer and by his outright access to the company’s premises was either an agent of the company or was just acting with the consent or authority of the company, released an amount of GHS 10,000.00 cheque to the accused on 4 March. The Prosecutor said the accused (Abu Hassan) further convinced his victim that his wife was the Logistics Officer of the company (BCM International Ltd.) and for that matter there was no cause for alarm at all. Although the accused (Abu Hassan), according to Inspector Assan, promised the complainant that the said scrap equipment was to be conveyed within two days as soon as payment was effected, that was never the case. The prosecutor further explained that, after clearing the cheque, the accused started playing hide and seek with the complainant. Two weeks after, the complainant upon realizing that Abu Hassan (accused) was trying to defraud him requested for a refund of his GHS 10,000.00 but Mr Abu Hassan will have none of that. It took him several days with severe pressure before the accused refunded GHS 5,000.00 and ever since refused to pay the balance. Inspector Assan said, a month after that, the complainant decided to pay a visit to BCM International Limited’s workshop to verify the truth of the whole transaction. He went to the office of the engineer who explained that the said Abu Hassan (accused) had not paid for any scrap in the company. The engineer said although the accused had done business with the company before, that was in the past. The prosecutor told the court that the complainant (Abdulai Iliasu) upon obtaining the evidence that he had been defrauded reported the case to the Sakumono Police station. Mr. Abu Hassan (accused) was subsequently arrested and arraigned before the Ashiaman Circuit Court and charged with the offence of defrauding by false pretense. He was granted a GHS 10,000.00 bail. He is to re-appear before the Court on the 28 of July 2011. Meanwhile, the complainant (Mr. Abdulai Iliasu) has indicated his intention to file a civil suit against BCM International for aiding the accused to use their premises to defraud him. He said the accused (Abu Hassan) was acting as an implied agent of the BCM International Ltd, especially the fact that he had access to almost everything in the company’s workshop to the extent that it was almost practicable impossible to believe that the gentleman was acting without the due permission or consent of the company (BCM International Ltd). Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana