Aruna Janaka Muthugama, a Sri Lankan businessman who swindled a compatriot of $80,000 under the pretext of supplying him with gold was on Thursday arraigned for defrauding by false pretences.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was admitted to bail of GH�20,000 with one surety to be justified. The case has been adjourned to December 31.
The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) A.A. Annor, said in June 2008, one Suduth, who is based in Sri Lanka, introduced the complainant Rasapaksa Geogora Jaya Sundara to the accused who claimed to be a businessman and had been living in Ghana since 2006.
He said he had a residence in Ghana and could assist the complainant buy gold for his mother company in Japan.
ASP Annor said based on this understanding the accused made the necessary arrangements and met the complainant at the Kotoka International Airport.
He said the accused arranged a meeting between the complainant and some people in Tema to supply five kg of gold to the company of the complainant in Japan.
ASP Annor said they agreed on a price of $12,000 for a kilo of gold and through this the accused and the said officials succeeded in collecting cash of $80,000 including payment for shipment but they failed to honour their promise and went into hiding.
He said the complainant realising that he had been defrauded reported the matter to the Police Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters in Accra.
ASP Annor said on December 1, the accused was spotted at the Accra Shopping Mall around the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout and was arrested.
He said during interrogation the accused admitted the offence in his caution statement and stated that he never knew that the officials of the company in Tema were fraudsters and that he had good intentions for the complainant.
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