The Accra Circuit Court imposed GH¢60,000 fined on a researcher, who collected GH¢372,500 from two persons, under the pretext of investing it in bitcoin scheme.
Julius Bradford Lamptey, who is also a data analyst, in default, would serve 20 months imprisonment.
This was after the court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah, found Lamptey guilty on four counts of defrauding by false pretences.
The court directed the convict, who shed tears in court, to pay the outstanding amount to the complainants, namely Alice Atuleri and Edith Mahama.
Lamptey pleaded to the court for mitigation, saying that he was the bread winner of the family, married with two children and that his wife was pregnant.
The convict also told the court that he was deceived by Raymond and another person to invest in the bitcoin investment, which had landed him in trouble.
According to Lamptey, he had never defrauded anyone and prayed to the court for mercy.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseini Yakubu, said that the first complainant, Alice Atuleri, was a trader, and the second complainant, Humu Edith Mahama, a businesswoman.
The prosecution said Lamptey worked with the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and that in May 2018, he (Lamptey) had introduced Alice the first complainant to an investment scheme, which he claimed had a monthly return of 40 per cent on any amount invested.
It said Lamptey collected GH¢200,000 from Alice and he later returned GH¢40,000 to Alice purporting that the amount was interest accrued on her investment package.
The prosecution said Alice was enticed by the interest accrued and added GH¢150,000 after the convict had demanded the money.
The court heard that in total, the complainant gave GH¢350,000 to the convict.
Prosecution said Lamptey after collecting GH¢350,000 from Alice, promised to pay back the interest within six months.
The prosecution told the court that the complainant made several calls to the convict in her bid to recover the interest accrued on the money but he (Lamptey) went into hiding.
In a related development, the prosecution said Lamptey, approached Humu, the second complainant and collected GH¢22,500 to complainant.
The court heard that after several efforts to trace Lamptey failed, Humu reported the case to the police.
The prosecution said when Lamptey was arrested, he admitted collecting money from the complainants.
It said Lamptey claimed that he handed over the monies to his business partners, Raymond Osei, and Kwabena Acheampong Baafi, to invest in forex trading.
The prosecution said Lamptey failed to lead the police to his so-called partners, and he could not provide documents indicating that he handed over monies to his partners to trade in forex as he claimed. — GNA
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