An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced 38-year-old businessman, Alhaji Fareed Amin Yakubu, to 10 years’ imprisonment for defrauding a businesswoman of GH¢3 million.
Yakubu, who initially pleaded not guilty to one count of defrauding by false pretences and two counts of issuing false cheques, was found guilty by the court presided over by Justice Bright Samuel Acquah, a High Court judge sitting with additional responsibility as a Circuit Court judge.
In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a fine of GH¢12,000. In default, he will serve an additional two years’ imprisonment for issuing false cheques. All sentences are to run concurrently.
The trial was conducted in absentia under Article 19(3)(a) of the 1992 Constitution after Yakubu jumped bail. The provision allows courts to proceed with trials when an accused person fails or refuses to appear.
According to the prosecution, Yakubu collected GH¢3 million from Madam Darling Tuffour in April 2021 under the pretext of investing in an oil business, promising to repay the amount.
On May 18, 2021, he issued a cheque for GH¢2,100,000 drawn on Stanbic Bank, which was dishonoured due to insufficient funds. A subsequent cheque for GH¢1,050,000, issued on September 24, 2021 and drawn on First Atlantic Bank, was also dishonoured.
The complainant, a businesswoman based in East Legon, reported the matter to the police after attempts to locate Yakubu failed. He later turned himself in after his details were circulated in the media.
