Court | Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A husband and wife accused of conspiring to commit a criminal offence namely, defrauding by false pretense, have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

Madam Vera Nartey aka ‘Akosua Kyerewaah, a 47-year-old businesswoman and Mr Nosah Ekhator, a 40- year-old businessman, are on a GHS1.5 million bail each, with three sureties each.

The Court ordered that one of the sureties should be justified with a landed property and the other two should be a civil servant, earning not less than GHS2,000.00 a month.

They are jointly held for conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretense. They have pleaded not guilty.

The accused persons were ordered by the Court to report to the Police once every week.

Also, acc used persons as well as the sureties were ordered by the Court to deposit their passport size picture and a photocopy of their valid ID cards at the registry.

The Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah adj ourned the case to October 27, 2022.

Police Inspector Moses Soadzedey, prosecuting, told the Court that complainant, Mr Godwin Kwame Avadu Donkor, was a businessman and resided at Adenta whiles the accused persons were a married couple and residents of East Legon.

The prosecution said inJanuary 2022,the complainant needed a house to buy for his family and contacted the accused persons.

Inspector Soadzedey said the accused persons told the complainant that they had a four-bedroom storey building at East Legon in Accra and that, if he could pay the sum of USD290,000.00 in cash, they would sell the said apartment to him.

The prosecution said during the same month, the accused persons took the complainant to East Legon and showed him the apartment which they were offering for sale.

Inspector Soadzedey said the complainant after inspection, became interested and bargained with the accused persons.

The prosecution said on January 28,2022,the complainant paid an amount of GHS1,663,200.00 to the accused persons.

Inspector Soadzedey said after the payment, the accused persons failed to fulfil their promise and re­ sold the same apartment to one Emmanuel.

The prosecution said the complainant became alarmed and on October 2, 2022, reported the matter to the Police for investigation.

Inspector Soadzedey said on October 3, 2022, the accused persons were arrested and on caution, they admitted the offence and stated that the complainant parted with cash GH₵1,663,200 to them in order to sell the said apartment to him but they failed to do so.

The prosecution said the accused persons promised to refund the complainant’s money, but they failed.