The Osu District Police Command has arrested two men suspected to have defrauded victims in various sums of money under the pretext of selling them an excavator.
The suspects are John Atta Arthur, 47 and Israel Glakpe, 30 years of age.
The two, who succeeded in defrauding one of their victims an amount of GH¢20,000, were apprehended at Osu early this month, according to reports.
Briefing DAILY GUIDE about their nefarious activity, ASP Adabo Apeatu, Osu District Crime Officer, said the incident occurred in June last year.
The complainant, who is a scrap dealer and resides at Agbogbloshie in Accra, said suspect Glakpe met his brother – who is a witness in the case – and told him he was having an excavator for sale.
The witness then told Glakpe that he had no intention of buying the vehicle but would inform his brother who needed one to buy.
When the witness told Sualisu Abdulai, his brother, about the machine, he (Abdulai) immediately expressed interest in the deal and contacted the suspect on telephone.
According to ASP Apeatu, Glakpe then took the two to inspect the excavator at Weija SCC and subsequently to Teshie bush road, where the supposed owner lives, for payment to be made.
At Teshie an amount of GH¢20,000 was paid to one Kwabena Agyepong, a man Glakpe introduced to the complainant and the brother as the owner.
Witnesses of both sides were asked to append their signatures on the receipt issued to the complainant by Agyepong.
After the supposed owner had collected the money, he made a phone call to a man he claimed was a watchman taking care of the vehicle, and ordered him to release it to the complainant when they get there.
Agyepong gave out GH¢100 to the complainant to be given to the said watchman when they arrived at the garage where the said excavator was kept.
Upon reaching Weija SCC however, no watchman was seen and when victim called the suspects on phone, their lines were all switched off.
Since then, efforts to get them had proved futile until April 2, 2015 when a friend of the complainant persuaded the suspects that he wanted a similar vehicle to buy.
The first victim then agreed to escort the second man to make his payment but when the suspects saw the victim, they took to their heels.
The two were given a hot chase and with the help of passersby, they were apprehended and sent to the Osu police station.
They have provisionally been charged for fraud and would be taken to court soon.
<<Print>>