The Financial Division of the Accra High Court has remanded in custody the Chief Executive Officer of K-San Law firm, Charles Owusu Juanah, and an agronomist, Victor Amoah, on charges of conspiracy and money laundering.
They are being held for allegedly obtaining, through money laundering activities, is amount of $3.5 million.
The two suspects are to reappear before the court, presided over by Mr Justice Bright Mensah, on January 19, 2012.
They have been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime and aiding and abetting money laundering activities.
The bank managers of the Guaranty Trust Bank (GT Bank) at its Abeka and headquarters branches, as well as the Industrial Area Branch Manager of the SG-SSB Bank and the Chief Executive of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), are to report to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday to assist in the investigations.
Another person, identified as Nana Kwaku Adjei, who is alleged to have posed as a dealer in gold, is currently being sought to assist in investigations.
Juanah, who is alleged to be the principal architect, is said to have collected the $3.5 million from the GT Bank headquarters at about 9:45 p.m. on November 17,2011.
A source close to EOCO told the Daily Graphic on Thursday night after the two accused persons had been remanded in custody that they lured a Dubai-based businessman, Mohammed Shafiq, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Jampur Group, and his agents into the country to establish business dealings in gold.
It said when Mr Shafiq and his agents arrived in Ghana, they were told that the gold had been lodged in a vault at the SG-SSB Bank and were made to pay $3.5 million before it would be released.
The source said the money was lodged in an account at the Abeka branch of the GT Bank and the alleged gold subsequently handed over to the buyers.
According to it, Juanah, at about 9:45 p.m. on November 17, 2011, went to the headquarters of the GT Bank to pick the money to an office located at Adabraka.
It said when Mr Shafiq and his agents decided to verify the authenticity of the gold after it had been delivered, some of it were found to be fake.
It said when Mr Shafiq and his agents complained and threatened to lodge a complaint with the police, Juanah allegedly warned them not to dare, as they would be incarcerated for transacting an illegitimate business.
It said Mr Shafiq and his agents quickly left the country for Dubai and were advised to lodge a complaint with the National Security, which referred the matter to EOCO.
It said when Juanah was picked up, two passports; one British and one Ghanaian, with two different dates of birth were seized from him.
According to the source, investigations had so far revealed that Juanah drafted the contract agreement for the transactions, acted as solicitor to both the buyer and the seller, while Victor Amoah, a friend of Juanah's, acted as consultant to Mr Shafiq and his agents.
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