Businessman in court over GH¢400,000 auto fraud

Bawa Yusif Sarkodie, a self-acclaimed businessman, has been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a contractor of GH¢400,000.

Sarkodie and his accomplices, known as Yaw Sam and Fred are said to have collected the money from the complainant under the pretext of supplying him with a Wheel Loader machine but failed.

Charged with conspiracy to commit crime namely defrauding by false pretences and defrauding by false pretences, Sarkodie has pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Mrs Dora Eshun has admitted Sarkodie to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties to be justified.

The matter has been adjourned to October 14, 2025.

Prosecution’s case is that James Gyekye, the complainant, is a resident of Cape Coast.

Sarkodie, the first accused person, is a self-acclaimed businessman at West Legon. Yaw Sam and Fred are all at large.

Prosecution said in the early part of january 2025, the complainant in his quest to purchase a
wheel loader for his works, informed one Isaac Ocran, a wheel loader driver and a witness in the
case.

The complainant and Ocran contacted Fred, currently at large, and he told them that his partner
Yaw Sam has a nephew who is a staff at the Flagstaff House and sells a wheel loader and other
earth-moving machines in a garage at Shiashie.

On January 31, 2025, the complainant and Ocran travelled from Cape Coast to Accra and met Yaw
Sam on arrival.

Yaw Sam then led them to meet Sarkodie at the Wheel Loader Garage around Shiashie where
Sarkodie, posed as a Presidential staffer who doubled as a dealer in earth-moving machines,
including wheel loaders.

Sarkodie, after the initial introduction left them and later returned with an ignition key of one of
the wheel loaders parked at the entrance and same was inspected by the complainant and Ocran
the wheel loader driver.

Later, Sarkodie led the complainant to Accra High Street GCB Branch where the complainant withdrew an amount of GHC400,000 and gave same to Sarkodie to facilitate documentations.

On the receipt of the cash, Sarkodie brought the complainant to Flagstaff House main reception and told them to wait while he got the documents from his office and abandoned the complainant at the reception and went into hiding.

The complainant then reported the matter to the Police and on September 15, 2025 Sarkodie was arrested at Weija in similar cases under investigation.

In the course of investigation, Sarkodie admitted the offence and corroborated the assertion of
the complainant and mentioned Yaw Sam and Fred as his accomplices but failed to lead the Police
to arrest them.

Prosecution said frantic efforts are being made for the arrest of Yaw Sam and Fred

GNA