Two in court for alleged ‘Agenda 111’ contract sale

Three people, who allegedly faked an Agenda 111 Hospital project contract, have been charged with defrauding by false pretense.

They are said to have convinced the Managing Director of the DBS Industries Limited to part with monies worth over GH¢1million in exchange for the government contract and four vehicles - three tipper trucks and one backhoe machine.

Two of them were arraigned at the Accra Circuit Court presided over by Afia Owusua Appiah last Monday (Feb 27, 2023).

They are Ebenezer Kwame Boadi and Frank A-Ugidimah-Ananvura Aborigo.

The third accused person, only known as Mike is on the run.

They have been charged with defrauding by false pretense.

They reportedly offered a government contract, which they claimed they had been offered under the Agenda 111 Hospital project, according to the prosecution.

Agenda 111

Agenda 111 is a government agenda of building 111 hospitals across the country.

They reportedly told the MD of DBS Industries that, they were no longer interested in the contract and were offering it for sale.

The Managing Director of DBS, Daniel Boateng agreed and parted with the monies, according to a complaint he lodged at the police station as presented in court as part of the facts.

Graphic Online’s Elizabeth Konadu-Boakye reports from the Accra Circuit Court that they were charged with three counts of defrauding by false pretense.

Their plea was not taken by the court.

They have however been granted bail in the sum of GH¢800,000 with three sureties and are to return on March 15, 2023. 

Facts

The facts of the case as read in court by the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Samuel Ahiabor were that in April 2021, Boadi led Frank to the Managing Director of DBS, Daniel Boateng and convinced him that they had been awarded the Government’s Agenda 111 project contract and were willing to sell the said contract.

"Boadi and Frank presented a purported contract document in the name of Obenewaa And Sons Limited. 

The Managing Director of DBS, Daniel Boateng developed interest in the contract but requested the accused persons to legally transfer the contract into his company’s name [DBS Industries]," the prosecutor said.

Chief Inspector Ahiabor said, Boadi and Frank promised they could do the change and therefore collected GH¢20,000 from him in order to facilitate the change. 

He added that the company's director issued a bank cheque with a face value of GH¢381.465.00 to the accused persons. 

"Boadi again convinced the complainant that, he and Mike were tasked by a national security operative to look for prospective buyers and that they had three tipper trucks and one backhoe machine at Tema Habour for auction, which cost a total amount of Gh¢720,200.00," he said.  

Cash out

He further explained that Boadi convinced Mr Boateng by sending him pictures of the purported trucks and the backhoe machines through WhatsApp messages adding that Boadi requested for the said amount to be given to him in order to be paid into the auction sales account in advance before the real auction day.

"The accused persons after cashing out the money issued a receipt to Mr Boateng and promised to deliver the vehicles within one week. The accused persons after taking these sums of money failed to fulfill their promises and went into hiding," he stated.

Chief Inspector Ahiabor further revealed that efforts made by the complainant to get the accused persons proved futile and that on February 14, 2023, the case was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of Boadi while Frank reported himself to Police on February 20, 2023.