Clearing Agent jailed 18 months for fraud

A Tema-based Clearing Agent, Peter Ankomah has been handed an 18-month jail term by an Accra Circuit Court for defrauding two women under false pretences.

Ankomah was also slapped with a fine of 800 penalty units, (GH¢9,600) or in default, will spend two more years in jail.

The court heard that the convict met the two women, Esinam Akushieka Modzaka and Diana Persia Quashie at Tema in February 2013, and contracted to supply them one 40 footer container of salmons.

The women, who are traders at the Tema Fishing Habour consequently gave him GH¢47,500 and GH¢71,000 respectively, but upon persistent demands, Ankomah failed to supply the fish.

According to the prosecution, he at one time showed the women a carton of fish which he claimed was the sample of what he intended to supply them.

When the complainants demanded for receipts of the monies paid him, the accused left and refused to meet them.

The complainants’ own investigations later revealed that the accused was not an importer of fish and subsequently reported the matter to the police.