Fraudster Fined GH¢500

Mr Kofi Ahiabor, presiding over a District Magistrate Court in Awutu, on Friday fined Andrews Kwesi Nketiah, a beer bar operator, an amount of GH¢500 for defrauding a businessman. Nketiah, who pleaded guilty to the charge, would go to jail for a year in default. He was further ordered to refund GH¢2,900 he collected from Mr Lance Montia, the businessman he promised selling two plots of land. Before passing judgement, Mr Ahiabor urged developers to always verify from the Lands Department whether lands they intended purchasing have already been bought and/or registered by somebody before effecting transaction. Mr Ahiabor also warned those who pretend to possesse plots of land and succeeded in collecting monies under such pretence to desist from such acts because the court would not be lenient with them when they are caught. Police Inspector Seth Anyan told the court that, sometime in May 2006 the accused allegedly took GH¢2,900 from Mr Montia with the promise of giving him two plots of land. Mr Anyan said, someone who claimed ownership of the same land, challenged Mr Montia whilst he was developing the land and upon investigations, it was found that Nketia never owned a land.