Three individuals have been arraigned before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding the owner of Amist Classic Hotel of GH¢70,000 under the pretense of securing dancehall artist Stonebwoy for an event.
The accused, Ebenezer Chaka Tsaqa, a 32-year-old musician; Daniel Frimpong, a 31-year-old event planner; and Richmond Eshun, also known as Kofi Gada, a 26-year-old event planner—were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretenses, and defrauding by false pretenses, contrary to Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Court Proceedings and Charges
The accused appeared before Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit at the Dansoman Circuit Court and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Emelia Mensah, alleged that in November 2024, the complainant, Kofi Amankwaa, a businessman and owner of Amist Classic Hotel, sought to book Stonebwoy for an event at his hotel.
He was introduced to the accused, who claimed they could facilitate the booking. They allegedly charged GH¢70,000, receiving an initial deposit of GH¢50,000, followed by an additional GH¢20,000.
However, on the scheduled event date, the accused failed to deliver the artist, prompting Amankwaa to file a complaint with the police on December 14, 2024. After investigations, the accused were arrested and charged.
Bail Conditions
During the hearing, the defense counsel applied for bail, arguing that the accused were not guilty and were prepared to prove their innocence. He noted that all three had fixed residences in Accra and had responsible individuals willing to stand as sureties.
The prosecution did not oppose the bail application. The court granted each accused person bail of GH¢80,000 with three sureties, all of whom must be public servants earning at least GH¢5,000 per month and residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
Additionally, the accused must deposit their Ghana Cards with the court registry and report to the police every two weeks until further notice.
The case has been adjourned, with the prosecution directed to file disclosures and witness statements ahead of the Case Management Conference (CMC) on March 24, 2025.
