The Amasaman Circuit Court has sentenced a 44-year-old medical emergency assistant to three years imprisonment in hard labour for fraud.
Francis Kweku Eshun admitted taking GH¢15,000 from William Sackey under the pretext of securing him a lawyer and surveyor to facilitate a court case at Amasaman.
He was, however, discharged on a fraudulent breach of trust charge as the court presided over by Ms Enid Marful-Sau ruled that the prosecution’s facts did not support the charge.
The court directed the prosecution to make available disclosures to the convict on a third charge he pleaded not guilty to.
He was also charged for allegedly stealing GH¢30,000 from the complainant and he is to be brought back to the Court on July 18, 2024.
Police Chief Inspector Salifu Nashiru told the Court that Simon Sackey, the complainant, was a health worker living at Ablekuma while Eshun, the convict, a Medical Emergency Assistant, lived at Dansoman.
He said in 2019, one William Sackey who is a brother to the complainant and brother-in-law to the convict, gave Power of Attorney to the convict to live in his uncompleted house at Kwame Anum, Ashalaja.
Chief Inspector Nashiru said he was tasked to complete projects, which included painting, installation of tiles, installation of electric poles and wiring, and gardening amongst others and provided funds for the same but Eshun failed to use the money for the purpose for which it was sent.
The convict was also tasked to pursue a case of defrauding by false pretences investigated at the Amasaman police station, the Court heard.
The prosecution said Eshun demanded and collected various sums of money to enable him to secure the services of a lawyer and pay a surveyor among other demands to facilitate the court proceedings which later turned out to be untrue.
Chief Inspector Nashiru said GH¢30,000 out of GH¢50,000 from the fraud case was refunded to Eshun at the Amasaman Police Station but he squandered the money and could not account for the same during investigations.
A report was made to the police which led to his arrest, the police told the Court.
He said during the investigation, Eshun told the police that the total amount he defrauded and stole from the complainant was GH¢47,800 and not GH¢80,000 as the complainant alleged.
After investigations, he was charged with the offences and put before the court.
Source: GNA