Student Jailed For Money Laundering And Fraud

A Circuit Court in Accra on Friday sentenced a 26-year- old student, Christopher Animako; to three years imprisonment for money laundering and fraud.

This was after the court presided over by Mr Justice Francis Obiri found him guilty after a trial on charges of defrauding by false pretenses and money laundering.

Animako defrauded a Norwegian Anita Hintay Bustamante to part with $ 39,963 under the pretext of setting up a business in Ghana, but failed to do so.

The court sentenced Animako to two years on the charge of defrauding by false pretences and three years on the charge of money laundering. The sentences are to run concurrently.

The court also ordered that $39,963 to be sent to the Norwegian widow in Norway within two weeks as the widow in her evidence before the court said she borrowed the money from the bank.

Handing the down the sentence, the trial judge noted that Animako was a first offender.

The court said the offence of money laundering is serious, which turns to scare investors and intend cripple national economies.

According to the court the convict did not benefit from the money laundering activity.

Animako’s lawyer prayed the court to impose a non custodial sentence as he had not benefitted from the offence.

According to counsel, looking at the brilliance displayed by his client, he need not be sent to prison.

“I urged the court to impose a fine as he had shown remorse during the trial,” defence counsel said.

Mr Wilcost Ofori counsel from the Economic and Organised Crime Organisation prayed for a stiffer punishment for Animako.

The case of the prosecution was that Animako maintains a cedi account with HFC Bank Ghana Limited, Adabraka branch.

Prosecution said Animako on his mandate form to the bank stated that the account would be funded by revenue from his business.

However, prosecution contended that the account has been funded by foreign inflows equivalent to GH₵v226, 797.00 from May 2012 to March 2013.

Prosecution said on April 2013, Animako received another foreign remittance of $ 39,693.00 from one Anita Hintay Bustamante of Norway.

When Animako was quizzed over the monies, he could not provide information on the funds or the remitter, raising suspicion that the funds were received from proceeds of illegal activities.

Later, prosecution said Animako stated that the monies were sent by one Philip Gabah, his purported uncle for a hotel business.

Animako, however, could not provide any information on the said uncle during investigations and documentary proof of the said hotel business.

Prosecution said intelligence report suggests that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities being perpetrated by Animako on different remitters, including Ms. Bustamante of Norway.

Source: GNA