A 55-year-old man, who impersonated a national security agent, has appeared in front of an Adenta Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH¢500,000 under the guise of securing an auctioned vehicle.
The individual, identified as Bawah Yusif Sarkodie, is accused of receiving the funds to facilitate the acquisition of a Toyota Land Cruiser.
It was reported that the vehicle had been confiscated by the government and auctioned at the Tema Harbour, but Sarkodie purportedly failed to deliver the vehicle after obtaining the money.
Charged with fraud by false pretenses, he entered a plea of not guilty.
The court granted him bail in the amount of GH¢600,000 with two sureties and mandated him to report to the police every Monday.
The prosecution, led by Chief Superintendent of Police Patience Mario, informed the court that the complainant, Charles Amoakoh, was a businessman involved in car rental services at the Adenta Pantang Junction, while the accused resided in West Legon.
In May 2025, the prosecution stated that Sarkodie, who had been renting vehicles from the complainant, visited him at his garage and presented himself as a National Security operative and an official of the National Democratic Congress.
He allegedly informed the complainant that he could assist him in acquiring Toyota Land Cruisers that had been seized by the government and were being auctioned for GH¢500,000 each at the Tema Harbour.
Sarkodie further asserted that he had an office near the Tema Community 18 Municipal Assembly and invited the complainant to meet him there with the funds to facilitate the transaction.
On May 6, 2025, at approximately 1000 hours, the complainant, accompanied by two witnesses, met Sarkodie at the specified location, according to the prosecution.
The court was informed that Sarkodie requested the complainant to hand over the money, claiming it was necessary to pay a fee to certain officials at the Assembly to ensure smooth access to the vehicle.
While sitting in the complainant’s vehicle, Sarkodie is said to have taken the sum of GH¢500,000 but intentionally left behind GH¢20,000, his Samsung mobile phone, and two reflective jackets in the car before entering one of the buildings at the Assembly, feigning the intention to make the payment.
The prosecution indicated that the complainant waited for a period but grew suspicious when Sarkodie did not return.
Efforts to locate him were unsuccessful, as he had reportedly turned off his phones and absconded.
A report was subsequently filed with the police, which resulted in Sarkodie’s arrest on September 11, 2025, after investigations were conducted.
Further inquiries uncovered that the accused was allegedly engaged in a number of similar fraudulent schemes in Accra.
The case has been postponed to March 9, 2026.
