A 42-year-old automobile dealer, Emmanuel Boateng, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢600,000 after being remanded in custody on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretence.
Boateng, who pleaded not guilty to the charges was granted bail by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit under strict conditions.
Per the court’s directives, Boateng must provide three sureties—two of whom must be public servants earning not less than GH¢2,000 per month—while the third must justify the bail amount with a property of equivalent value.
Additionally, the accused has been ordered to deposit his Ghana Card with the court registry and report to the police once every month until further notice.
The case has also been referred to the Office of the Attorney-General for advice, with the next hearing set for May 28, 2025.
Boateng, along with his alleged accomplice, Frank Obeng—who remains at large—has been accused of defrauding Ibrahim Issaka, a footballer based in Achimota, Accra, of $37,000 under false pretences.
According to Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, the incident dates back to November 2024, when Issaka visited Boateng’s automobile garage at Abelemkpe in search of a vehicle.
He initially expressed interest in a 2018 Honda Accord but later declined the purchase due to detected faults.
Boateng then allegedly showed Issaka pictures of a 2022 Honda CRV, claiming it had been imported from the United States and was awaiting arrival for sale.
Trusting Boateng’s claims, Issaka agreed to buy the vehicle for $37,000 and was instructed to transfer the funds into an account purportedly belonging to Boateng’s brother, Frank Obeng, who was said to be handling the shipment in the U.S.
However, by December 2024, the vehicle had not been delivered. When Issaka inquired about the delay, Boateng reportedly claimed that Obeng had been arrested and imprisoned in the U.S. for receiving the funds, preventing the completion of the transaction.
Investigations, however, revealed that Boateng failed to provide any evidence to support his claims, leading to his arrest and prosecution.
Meanwhile, police efforts to locate and apprehend Obeng are ongoing.
