A 59-year-old man, Akwasi Badu-Boateng, who has spent a significant portion of his life in prison custody, is facing multiple charges under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) at the Achimota Circuit Court.
These charges include defrauding by false pretenses contrary to Section 131, resisting arrest contrary to Section 226(1), and causing unlawful damage contrary to Section 172.
Badu-Boateng is accused of defrauding Cynthia Boakye Addo of GH¢69,300.00 and Cynthia Kwofie of GH¢9,838.00 through false pretenses. When officers attempted to arrest him, he allegedly resisted, preventing the execution of the law.
In the process, he is said to have intentionally damaged the front bumper and right-side mirror of a Toyota Corolla, valued at GH¢1,500.00, belonging to Detective Inspector Richard Awini.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢180,000.00 with two sureties, one of whom must be a civil or public servant earning at least GH¢2,000.00 per month.
Additionally, he was ordered to deposit a valid passport with the court registry.
However, a dramatic twist unfolded when Badu-Boateng accused the police of stealing his passport. Following his claim, the court upheld the passport deposit condition.
But when the police investigated his allegation, they discovered he had never owned a passport.
Realizing the contradiction, Badu-Boateng returned to court seeking a variation of his bail conditions, arguing that he could not deposit a passport he never had.
The court, presided over by Her Honour Akosua Anokyewaa Adjepong, however, denied his request, pointing out his earlier statement that the police had stolen his passport.
With the case adjourned to April 9, 2025, Badu-Boateng remains in custody as investigations continue.
Brief Facts
The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Mensah Ahiale, told the court that the complainants, Cynthia Boakye Addo, a teacher, and Cynthia Kwofie, a spa therapist, both reside at Tantra Hill. The accused, Akwasi Badu-Boateng, is a driver who lives at Mile 7.
The Court heard that on December 31, 2023, Emmanuel Ayea, a witness in the case and husband of the first complainant, received a call from the accused, who was using a foreign number. The accused claimed he was living in Germany and working as a foreman for a company that recruited Ghanaians for jobs in Germany and Canada. He told the witness that he could help his family migrate, charging GH¢3,000.00 per person for Germany and GH¢8,000.00 per person for Canada.
Ayea informed his wife, Cynthia Boakye Addo, who also spoke with the accused. She was encouraged to find more interested individuals, which she did, including her sister Cynthia Kwofie. The complainants then gathered several interested people who transferred funds to the accused through his provided mobile money number. Payments were made directly or through intermediaries, totaling GH¢69,300.00 from the first complainant’s group and GH¢9,838.00 from the second complainant’s group, bringing the total amount defrauded to GH¢79,138.00.
On March 13, 2024, the accused informed the first complainant that he was in Ghana and instructed them to gather with their documents at his Mile 7 residence. On March 24, 2024, complainants and their associates waited for him at the agreed time but never saw him. He later postponed the meeting multiple times, raising suspicions. On April 3, 2024, they reported the case to the Mile 7 police.
On April 4, 2024, the accused was lured to the Tantra Hill Goil filling station, where the police attempted to arrest him. He fled in his Toyota Vitz, nearly hitting Detective Chief Inspector Patricia Yeboah. Detective Inspector Richard Awini pursued him, ramming into his vehicle to force a stop, but the accused continued fleeing until he reached a dead-end road, where he was arrested.
When asked to take the police to his residence, he led them to Naakye Dede Hotel in Ablekuma, but staff members stated that they did not know him. During investigations, the accused admitted receiving GH¢50,000.00 from the complainants.
Following the investigations, he was charged with defrauding by false pretenses, resisting arrest, and causing unlawful damage, and was arraigned before the court.
