Two Nigerian businessmen arraigned over alleged $20,000 fraud

Two Nigerian businessmen have been brought before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a fellow businessman of $20,000 (GH¢336,000).

The accused, Patrick Piniki, 57, and Adawale Julius, 52, are said to have taken the money under the pretext of securing a vessel filled with crude oil from Nigeria for the complainant.

Facing charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretenses, both men pleaded not guilty.

Presiding over the case, Judge Halimah El-Alawa Abdul Basit granted each of them bail set at GH¢200,000. The court stipulated that three sureties, who must be public servants earning at least GH¢3,000 per month, should guarantee their bail. Additionally, the sureties were required to reside within the court's jurisdiction, and the accused had to report to the police biweekly.

The court also ordered them to deposit their identification cards with the registry. However, they failed to meet these bail conditions, prompting a revision during a subsequent hearing. The new conditions reduced the required monthly earnings of the sureties to GH¢2,000 while maintaining the original bail amount.

“All sureties must be justified, and all other conditions remain in effect,” the court ruled.

The case has been adjourned until April 2, 2025.

Meanwhile, a third suspect, identified as Engineer Chidi, remains at large.

Background of the Case

According to Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, the complainant, Sawine Menual, resides in Kasoa, Central Region, while the accused live in Tema.

In November 2024, the complainant, interested in investing in the crude oil business, sought guidance from a friend named Olowo, who introduced him to Piniki.

Piniki then reached out to Julius in Nigeria, and together they traveled to Ghana to discuss the business opportunity with the complainant. They held multiple meetings at a hotel in Tema, during which they assured him they could facilitate the acquisition of a crude oil vessel.

The accused instructed the complainant to transfer $10,000 to Engineer Chidi, who was introduced as the vessel’s manager. Chidi later arrived in Ghana and reassured the complainant that the vessel would soon be delivered.

Subsequently, the accused requested an additional $10,000, purportedly to cover the cost of loading the vessel. The complainant complied, expecting the transaction to proceed smoothly. However, no vessel ever arrived, and the deal turned out to be fraudulent.

In total, the complainant lost $20,000 (GH¢336,000). When he demanded a refund, the accused only returned $3,200, leaving a balance of $16,800 unpaid.

In December 2024, Engineer Chidi left Ghana for Nigeria without notifying the complainant.

After unsuccessful attempts to recover his money, the complainant reported the matter to the Accra Regional Police Command, leading to the arrests of Piniki and Julius.

During police investigations, Piniki denied any involvement, while Julius admitted to receiving money for the crude oil deal, which ultimately failed.