Ghanaian actor granted bail for fraudulent act

The Dansoman Circuit Court has admitted Samuel Seth Karikari aka Koo Ofori, an actor who rose to fame on the Efiewura television series, to bail in the sum of GH₵320,000 with three sureties to be justified.

This was after he pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences.

The Court also ordered Karikari to deposit his Ghana Card at the Registry of the court, and he report to the Police once a month.

Adjourning the matter to June 25, 2025, the Court ordered prosecution to file their disclosures for Case Management Conference.

Karikari is said to have defrauded one Dr Emy Oduro-Burton of $50,000 equivalent of GH₵309,000. He is alleged to have collected the amount to purchase a parcel of land at Spintex, Accra.

The Court had earlier on issued a bench warrant to arrest the actor for failing to appear before it.

When he appeared today before the Court with his lawyer, accused lawyer, Derrick Aboagye Asamoah, the bench warrant was rescinded.

Defence counsel told the Court that the accused person did not intend to disrespect or disregard the Court.

According to counsel, his client was outside the jurisdiction of the court.

The trial Judge therefore rescinded the bench warrant and ordered that the accused person’s plea to be taken.

Earlier, defence counsel prayed the Court to admit him bail because the accused person was not a flight risk and he would appear to stand trial.

Counsel said his client had a fixed place of abode at Nungua and he would appear to stand trial.

He said the accused person under the law was presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Defence counsel contended that his client had paid some of the money and he was left with $15,000.

According to defence counsel, the Court had no jurisdiction on the matter, the facts of the matter did not support the charge.

The Counsel said the matter between the complainant and the accused was contractual and civil in nature.

The Prosecution led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder did not oppose bail but told the Court that the bail condition should compel the accused person to attend court.

Prosecution case was that the complainant, Dr Emy Oduro-Burton as a medical practitioner domiciled in the United States of America while the accused resided at Nungua, near Accra.

Sometime in the year 2021, the accused in a conversation told the complainant that he had seen a full plot of land at Spintex and would like to purchase it for her for a project.

The Prosecution said the accused later told the complainant that the plot of land measuring 70 x100 was being sold at $50,000, the equivalent of GHC309,000.

The complainant paid the said amount into the accused person’s bank account for the plot purchase.

Prosecution said the accused paid GHc170,000 to one Kwaku Danso, a witness in the case and the rightful owner of the land.

According to prosecution, when the complainant returned to Ghana and after inspecting the land, she realised that it was a half plot of land and was priced at GHC170,000 and not $50,000 as presented by the accused.

The Court head that the complainant reported the matter to the Police after several attempts to get her money back had failed.

The accused person was arrested and in his investigation caution statement he admitted the offence.