[ 2017-04-25 ]

Court orders arrest of musician
A Circuit Court in Accra has ordered the arrest of
a Reggae/Hi-life Artiste for failing to appear
before it in a £25,000 stealing case.

When the matter was called M.C. Morinton Kobby aka
Emperor Messiah who is alleged to have absconded
with the said money could not be found, hence
prosecution prayed the court for an arrest
warrant.

Ignatius Mensah Opoku, a businessman and uncle of
the musician, who is also standing trial with him
in the matter had earlier on pleaded not guilty to
conspiracy to commit crime and Stealing £25,000
(127, 925 cedis) belonging to one Deborah
Kyerewa.

The court presided over by Mrs Marian Affoh has
admitted Opoku to bail in the sum of
GH¢128,000.00 with three sureties.

Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
Alex Odonkor told the court that complainant
Deborah Kyerewa is unemployed and she resides at
Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

Opoku resides at Bortiano, Accra. On December 7,
this year, the complainant and his brother Godwin
Yeboah visited their friend in Dubai.

DSP Odonkor said during the visit, their friend
decided to transfer money to the complainant for a
business in Ghana.

However, the two did not have any foreign account
to facilitate the transfer of the money.

Based on this, DSP Odonkor said on December 12,
last year, the complainant’s brother contacted
another friend in Ghana to find out from him
whether he has a foreign account but the said
friend did not have a foreign account and
contacted Opoku who provided his Access Bank
account number 033-0064826452 at Kasoa to them.

According to DSP Odonkor, the said account number
was forwarded to the complainant in Dubai.

On December 14, last year, the complainant’s
friend transferred £25,000 pounds into the
account provided. On the same night the
complainant and her brother returned to Ghana.

On their arrival, Opoku asked the complainant to
give him detailed information of the sender to
enable him start processing the documents to
withdraw the money.

He said Opoku then led the complainant and some
witnesses to Kasoa to withdraw the money. On
reaching a section of the road at Kasoa, the
accused introduced Kobby to the complainant as his
nephew and the one processing the document for him
at the bank.

Prosecution said Opoku assured the complainant not
to fear and that he Opoku should be held
responsible in case anything happens.

The Prosecutor said Kobby informed the complainant
that the Manager of the bank at Kasoa had assured
them they could withdraw the money the following
day.

On December 16, last year Kobby informed the
complainant that the bank manager said the money
could only be withdrawn at the Osu branch of the
bank.

Opoku, the complainant and witness therefore
proceeded to the Osu branch and met with Kobby to
withdraw the money.

DSP Odonkor said while the complainant, Opoku and
the witness were waiting, unknownly to them, Kobby
withdrew the money and left.

After waiting for some time, the complainant
insisted Opoku should withdraw the money since the
account belongs to him.

When Opoku called Kobby on his phone, his phone
was switched off. When checks were made at the
bank, an official of the bank informed them that
Kobby had withdrawn the money that afternoon.

Prosecution said Opoku then informed the
complainant that he did not own the account and
rather the account belonged to Kobby.

After failing to take the complainant to his
nephew Kobby, prosecution said the complainant
handed Opoku over to the Police.

Kyerewa has begun testifying before the court.

Source - GNA

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