Businessman released on GH¢500,000.00 bail following allegations of forgery

A businessman, David Abu Kantong, was granted GH¢500,000.00 bail by an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a man of USD35,000.00 under the guise of leasing a piece of land in Santeo to him. Kantong, who denied the offence, is required to have two sureties who earn no less than GH¢5,000.00 monthly. The case is set to continue on April 3, 2024. Additionally, a bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of Alfred Nee Quartey Papafio, Ernestina Kwakor Quartey Papafio, and Joseph Kwate Quartey-Papafio for not appearing in court. Apart from Alfred, who faces an abetment charge, all three have been accused of defrauding under false pretenses.

The complainant in the case, Samuel Kojo Andrews, who is a lawyer living in Tantra Hill, engaged Kantong’s company, MOS Property Consultancy Limited, for legal services in 2015 and 2016. Kantong, the Managing Director of the company, offered to sell two fenced plots of land in Santeo to Andrews, who was interested and made the full payment of USD35,000.00 to Kantong. Subsequently, Kantong provided a receipt of payment and an indenture covering the land signed by Alfred, Ernestina, and Joseph. However, when Andrews tried to develop the land, he was obstructed by Musah Shaibu, who claimed ownership.

Efforts to resolve the land dispute by Andrews with the assistance of Kantong and through application to the Lands Commission in Accra were unsuccessful. In 2020, Shaibu started constructing on the land, prompting Andrews to seek Kantong’s intervention, which was ineffective. The complainant reported the issue to the CID in August 2022, leading to the arrest of the accused persons. Investigations revealed that Kantong claimed ownership of the disputed land through his company and acknowledged granting it to Andrews, with Alfred, Ernestina, and Joseph as the grantors.

The disputed land was part of a larger tract originally handed to Kantong’s brother, Salifu Johnson, by the Papafio family in Santeo. Prior to his death, Johnson had sub-leased portions of the land, including the disputed area, to various developers. A visit to the land confirmed that Shaibu had erected houses on it, and an official search at the Lands Commission indicated that it was covered by a land certificate issued to Shaibu. Based on the evidence gathered, the accused individuals were charged with the relevant offenses and brought before the court for prosecution.

The testimony of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lawrence Kofi Anane outlined the sequence of events leading to the alleged fraud and land dispute. Kantong’s refusal to address the issue or help resolve it despite Andrews’ repeated requests and petitions to the CID culminated in his arrest and subsequent court appearance. The bail conditions set by the court for Kantong are stringent, requiring two sureties with a monthly income above a specified threshold. The case is scheduled to proceed on April 3, 2024, with the absconding accused persons subject to arrest under a bench warrant. Further investigations and legal proceedings are expected to establish the veracity of the allegations, determine the rightful ownership of the disputed land, and deliver justice in the matter.