A biomedical engineer, Nana Yaw Appiah, has appeared before the Accra Circuit Court, accused of defrauding the management of New Crystal Hospital Services of GH₵877,622.
Appiah allegedly collected the money with the promise of supplying assorted medical equipment to the hospital but failed to deliver.
He has been charged with defrauding by false pretenses and two counts of issuing false checks and has pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah, granted Appiah bail in the sum of GH₵1 million with four sureties, two of whom must be gainfully employed. The case has been adjourned to November 16, 2023.
Appiah's defense counsel argued for bail, emphasizing that the matter was an agreement between two corporate entities.
The defense contended that the accused was not a flight risk and had a fixed place of abode.
Counsel also assured that Appiah would appear to stand trial and was actively pursuing his debtors.
Prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah, did not oppose bail but suggested that the bail conditions should correspond with the amount involved.
ASP Haligah also stressed that the bail conditions should ensure Appiah's appearance in court for trial.
According to prosecution, the complainant, George Kennedy Etwire, is the Chief Financial Officer of New Crystal Hospital Services (NCHS) located in Ashiaman, and the accused is the Chief Executive Officer of Engisys Limited.
In 2022, New Crystal Hospital Services was constructing a new hospital facility in Ashiaman, to be inaugurated in November 2022.
Appiah allegedly claimed he could supply the hospital's Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) with the required medical equipment, including water softeners, trolleys, autoclave, steam generators, and surgical kick buckets, for a total of GH₵877,622.
The hospital asked for a proforma invoice with an 80% down payment and the balance payable upon delivery and installation.
On March 9, 2023, Appiah received a First Atlantic Bank check of GH₵877,622.40 for the purchase of the equipment and issued a receipt, promising delivery by August 2022.
However, he failed to deliver the equipment and subsequently issued a UBA check, dated December 23, 2022, in an attempt to refund the amount. This check was dishonored when presented.
Appiah later issued another Standard Chartered Bank check for GH₵950,000 to the hospital, but this check was also dishonored due to insufficient funds in the account.
The hospital filed a complaint with the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service regarding the alleged fraudulent activities.
