An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GH₵50,000 bail with two sureties to a trader who allegedly defrauded another trader. 

Barikisu Suale, whose sureties should be family members as asked by the Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah, is accused of defrauding her fellow trader of GH₵48,000 under the pretext of supplying her with pieces of cloth. 

In addition, she is to report to the Police once a week and any other day. 

She pleaded not guilty to the offence and will make her next appearance on July 12, 2023. 

Superintendent Augustine A. Yirenkyi, prosecuting, said Madam Agnes Tuffuor, the complainant, was a businesswoman whilst Barikisu Suale, the accused person, claimed to be a trader and resident of Achimota in Accra. 

In 2021, the complainant was approached by the accused person in her shop at Tudu and introduced herself as a trader.

She told the complainant that she could in two weeks supply her with 300 pieces of cloth valued at GH₵48,000 from Lagos, Nigeria. 

The complainant became convinced and paid the GHS48,000 to the accused the following day. 

The prosecution said the accused did not supply the cloth after two weeks and was playing hide and seek with the complainant. 

The Court heard that on April 10, 2023, the complainant reported the matter to the Police for investigation. 

On April 18, 2023, the accused person was arrested and on caution, she admitted the offence and stated that she indeed collected the said amount from the complainant and gave it to her agent by name Osman at Lagos to supply the cloth but when the said agent was bringing the cloth, the pieces fell into water. 

Superintendent Yirenkyi said the accused promised to refund the money to the complainant but failed, adding that investigation revealed that, the accused used the complainant's money to solve her personal problems.