Ghanaian Traders Appeal to Mahama and IGP After Court Dismisses GH¢13m Fraud Case

• A group of businesswomen claim they handed over GH¢13m to a man posing as an import agent to procure goods on their behalf
• The suspect was arrested in March 2024, granted bail, and the case was adjourned multiple times before being thrown out of court
• The traders are now calling on President Mahama, the Attorney General, and the IGP to intervene and revive the prosecution

A group of Ghanaian businesswomen who say they lost over GH¢13 million to a fraudulent import scheme have appealed to President John Dramani Mahama, the Attorney General, and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to step in after their court case was dismissed.

The traders allege they were approached by a man who presented himself as a legitimate import agent, and that they collectively entrusted him with GH¢13 million to procure goods on their behalf. No goods were ever delivered.

GH¢13m case ends without justice

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Speaking on behalf of the group, a spokesperson outlined how the alleged fraud unfolded:

"The man introduced himself as an agent, and we gave him GH¢13 million to import some items for us."

Following a formal complaint to the police, the suspect was arrested in March 2024 and subsequently released on bail.

According to a publication sighted on GhanaWeb, the case then went through a prolonged series of adjournments before the court ultimately dismissed it.

"The case is before the court, the suspect was arrested in March 2024 and he was granted bail. The case was adjourned several times and eventually it has been dismissed," the spokesperson said.

The victims say the financial losses have caused serious hardship for their families, and that the collapse of the prosecution has left them without any recourse.

Ghanaian traders demand review of proceedings

The spokesperson conveyed the group's deepening frustration with how slowly the justice system had handled their matter.

"We know the wheel of justice grinds slow, but this one has been extremely slow. This one, it is not moving at all. This one, it has stopped," she said.

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The businesswomen are now pressing for a full review of the court proceedings with the aim of reviving the prosecution and holding the alleged fraudster accountable.

Their appeals to President Mahama, the Attorney General, and the IGP signal their determination to keep the matter alive despite the case's dismissal.

Traders reject 20 and 10 pesewa coins

YEN.com.gh reported earlier that a Ghanaian citizen had tested the acceptance of 10 and 20 pesewa coins among traders and shared video evidence of the exercise online.

Several traders had refused to accept the coins as legal tender, citing various reasons for their decision, which sparked discussions among the public.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana had earlier cautioned traders and the public against refusing to accept lower-denomination coins.

Source: YEN.com.gh