The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1, is expected to appear before the Accra High Court today for allegedly defrauding 16,000 customers of more than GH¢1.68 billion between January 2017 and September 2018.
He has been charged with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930).
Two of his companies — Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold Ghana Limited — represented by him, have each been charged with defrauding by false pretence, contrary to sections 20 (1) and 13 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The two companies have also been charged with carrying out a deposit-taking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930.
Also facing the law are his sister and his wife, Benedicta Appiah and Rose Tetteh, respectively, who have been slapped with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of Act 930. The two women are, however, at large.
Particulars of the offences
A charge sheet sighted by the Daily Graphic stated that between January 2017 and September 2018, Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold defrauded one Francis Agodzie and 16,000 others of more than GH¢1.68 billion.
It further accused the two entities of carrying out an illegal deposit-taking business during the same period.
The charge sheet explained that Mensah, Appiah and Tetteh aided Brew Marketing Consult and Menzgold to defraud the customers of the GH¢1.68 billion.
With regard to the charge of abetment to carrying out deposit-taking business without licence, the three suspects are accused of aiding the two companies to illegally carry out a deposit-taking business.
Arrival
NAM1 arrived at the Kotoka International Airport via Emirates Airline flight EK787 at 10.58 a.m. yesterday and was quickly whisked away by security personnel from Interpol Ghana and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
He was accompanied on the flight by Interpol officials from Dubai, who handed him over to Interpol Ghana officials as soon as he disembarked from the plane.
An emaciated NAM 1 was spotted wearing an ash sweatsuit with a hood, with which he covered his face to avoid being recognised. His hands were handcuffed behind him.
Flanked by two policemen, with other security men following closely behind, he limped slowly and managed to make it to the offices of the Financial Forensic Unit (FFU) on the first floor of the CID Headquarters.
As soon as he made it to the offices of the FFU, the frail NAM 1 pulled off the hood to reveal his bushy hair and unkempt moustache, as he awaited the arrival of his two lawyers, Messrs Kwame Akufo and Kofi Supremo.
