An Accra Circuit Court has remanded Abass Yaya, 48, into police custody and granted bail to his accomplice, Mamatha Kassim, 52, in connection with a GH₵320,000 land fraud case. The couple, both traders, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretenses.
The complainant, Baba Yakubu Mahama, an urban planner, alleged that Yaya approached him in May 2022, offering a parcel of land at Ofankor for sale. Kassim, posing as the landowner, accompanied Yaya to show Mahama the property. After verifying the land coordinates and conducting a search, Mahama proceeded with the purchase, pressured by Yaya's claims of other interested buyers.
Mahama paid GH₵320,000 to Yaya, who promised to provide the land documents. However, the couple subsequently vanished, leaving Mahama without the land or the promised documentation. Further investigation revealed that Mahama had been defrauded.
The accused were arrested on December 16, 2024, from their respective hideouts. In their caution statements, they admitted to the crime, revealing they had sold the same land to two other individuals and provided the original documents to a third buyer. Despite their confession, they failed to cooperate in locating the other buyers or accomplices. Kassim claimed she received the money on Yaya's instructions, acting as a front for the scheme.
Presiding over the case, Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah remanded Yaya and granted Kassim bail of GH₵300,000 with two sureties. The case has been adjourned to January 28, 2025. Chief Inspector Daniel Danku represented the prosecution. The incident highlights the need for caution and thorough due diligence when engaging in land transactions.
