A 44-year-old farmer, Dennis Mawuli Kwame Bedi, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢6 million with four sureties—two of whom must be justified—after he was charged with defrauding a Kumasi-based medical doctor of more than GH¢7.4 million.
Bedi, who appeared before Circuit Court 7 in Accra, presided over by Her Honour Sedinam Awo Kwadam, pleaded not guilty to four counts of defrauding by false pretence and forgery of documents. He has been ordered not to travel outside the court’s jurisdiction and must report to the case investigator every two weeks on Wednesdays.
The accused was first arraigned on August 20, 2025, and remanded into custody. However, following a bail application, he was released on August 4, 2025, under the stringent conditions imposed by the court.
Given the scale of the alleged fraud, the Attorney-General’s Department has taken over prosecution from the police. The case is now being prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Kwadwo Kunadu Asiamah, replacing Chief Inspector Daniel Appiah-Ofori.
Charges Before the Court
Count One – Defrauding by False Pretence: Bedi is alleged to have obtained GH¢7,432,800 from Dr. Manye Mensah Awuku Dzifah by claiming he could acquire 1,300 acres of land at Dabala, in the Volta Region, for investment purposes.
Count Two – Defrauding by False Pretence: In 2024, he allegedly collected an additional GH¢230,000 under the pretext of securing United States visas for the complainant and his family.
Count Three – Forgery of Documents: Between 2015 and May 2025, Bedi is accused of forging receipts purporting to be from the Torgbui Kwakuvi Lu family to suggest ownership of land.
Count Four – Forgery of Documents: During the same period, he allegedly forged receipts in the name of the Torgbui Degenu family to further support the land transaction.
How the Alleged Fraud Unfolded
According to the prosecution, Bedi befriended the complainant in 2015, presenting himself as a man with influence and strong local connections capable of securing large tracts of land.
The accused claimed that the land belonged to three traditional families—Torgbui Kwakuvi, Torgbe Degenu V, and Torgbe Edem Gali Degenu.
He reportedly issued monthly receipts and even drafted indentures covering 570 acres of land as supposed evidence of progress.
To strengthen his credibility, Bedi allegedly told the complainant that Japanese investors were ready to buy the land for $540 million, a claim investigators later described as false.
Between 2015 and 2025, the complainant is said to have transferred funds for multiple expenses, including:
GH¢2,449,700 for land purchases
GH¢123,000 for documentation, court registration, and alleged government settlements
GH¢60,000 to settle “boundary owners”
GH¢22,800 for fuel, taxes, and insurance
GH¢84,600 for supposed Supreme Court letters
GH¢540,000 for legal fees to “increase land value”
Despite these payments, the complainant never received the land or the visas. Investigators later discovered that Bedi had forged land-related receipts and was already facing a similar defrauding case in Kibi, suggesting a broader pattern of fraudulent conduct.
The case has been adjourned to next month for case management, with the court warning Bedi not to interfere with investigations or attempt to abscond.
