SCHOOL PROPRIETOR IN COURT FOR FRAUD (PAGE 20, MIRROR, NOV 13)

From Samuel Duodu, Kintampo.

THE proprietor of the Hope for Life Senior High School (SHS) at Babato in the Kintampo North Municipality in the Brong Ahafo Region who went into hiding after taking delivery of 51 bags of sheanuts valued at Gh¢3,100 has come face to face with the law.
Augustine Weturah, 37, is alleged to have told the complainant in the case, Salifatu Dramatu, also a resident in Kintampo, that he had been contracted by the Ghana Nuts Company Limited at Hansua, near Techiman, to purchase sheanuts on their behalf.
Based on this information, Dramatu gave 51 bags of sheanuts worth GH¢3,100 to Weturah but after receiving the nuts, Weturah began to play pranks and later went into hiding.
Weturah was later spotted in town by Dramatu who arrested him and handed him over to the police.
Weturah appeared before the Kintampo Magistrate Court and was charged with the offence of fictitious trading but he pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of Gh¢4,000 with two sureties to be justified.
Weturah would re-appear before the court, presided over by Mr Albert Zoogah, on November 15, 2010.
Prosecuting, Police Inspector (Insp) Wisdom Ahiakpor told the court that Weturah and Dramatu both lived at Kintampo and that Weturah approached Dramatu that he had been contracted by the Ghana Nuts Company Limited and needed customers to supply him with sheanuts to purchase for the company.
He said Dramatu showed interest and supplied Weturah with 51 bags of sheanuts valued at GH¢3,100. Weturah collected the sheanuts without paying for them and went into hiding.
Insp. Ahiakpor said Dramatu made all efforts to reach Weturah on phone and by contacting him personally but to no avail.
The prosecutor said Dramatu on September 18, 2010, spotted Weturah in Kintampo and arrested him and handed him over to the police. During interrogation Weturah admitted collecting the sheanuts without paying for them.
Insp. Ahiakpor said Weturah agreed to pay the money later and was granted police enquiry bail but he failed to pay the money.
He said Weturah was served with criminal summons to appear before the court on October 22, 2010, but he failed to appear. Subsequently, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.