Lawyer arraigned in court over GHc800,000 excavator fraud case in Accra

An Accra Circuit Court has put a 34-year-old legal practitioner, Divine Effah-Dartey, on trial over his alleged involvement in a fraudulent excavator transaction that reportedly left a businessman GH¢800,000 out of pocket.

Effah-Dartey is accused of aiding two other suspects to deceive a prospective buyer into paying GH¢800,000 as part payment for an excavator that the sellers allegedly did not lawfully own. He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of abetment of defrauding by false pretences.

The court granted him police enquiry bail following an application made by his father, retired naval officer Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey.

Two other accused persons were also arraigned before the court. Mawuli Awadzi Amenyo, a 49-year-old carpenter, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences and was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢400,000 with two sureties, one to be justified. Jiang Tao, a warehouse manager charged with abetment, was also granted police enquiry bail.

A fourth suspect, identified as Rishan Mahanta, is currently on the run and is expected to face an additional charge of forgery when apprehended.

Presiding judge Evelyn Asamoah adjourned the case to January 23, 2026.

Presenting the facts, Detective Chief Inspector Abel Amanie told the court that the complainant, Kofi Boateng, a businessman from Asankragwa in the Western Region, was in search of an excavator for commercial rental purposes.

According to the prosecution, in September 2025, Boateng was introduced to Amenyo through a third party. Amenyo later linked him to Mahanta, who allegedly presented himself as an excavator importer operating in Accra.

On October 1, 2025, Boateng and his associates travelled to Accra to inspect the equipment. They were reportedly taken to the premises of Caitec Delta Limited, where Mahanta allegedly claimed ownership of several excavators on site.

The prosecution further alleged that Jiang Tao released a key to allow Boateng to test one of the machines, despite the area being under restricted access, thereby reinforcing the false impression that the equipment was legitimately available for sale.

Investigations into the matter are ongoing as the court prepares to hear the case in the new year.