An Accra Circuit Court has handed a 10-year prison sentence to businessman Alhaji Fareed Amin Yakubu for defrauding a businesswoman of GH¢3 million.

Yakubu was convicted on one count of defrauding by false pretences and two counts of issuing false cheques, despite initially pleading not guilty. The case was presided over by Justice Bright Samuel Acquah, a High Court judge sitting with additional responsibility at the Circuit Court.

The court also fined him GH¢12,000, with a two-year custodial term in default for the false cheque offences. All sentences will run concurrently.

Proceedings were held in absentia after Yakubu jumped bail, in accordance with Article 19(3)(a) of the 1992 Constitution, which permits trials to continue when an accused person fails to appear.

Court documents show that Yakubu took GH¢3 million from Madam Darling Tuffour in April 2021, claiming he would invest the funds in an oil business. He later issued two cheques—GH¢2.1 million in May 2021 and GH¢1.05 million in September 2021—both of which were dishonoured due to insufficient funds.

After unsuccessful attempts to locate him, the complainant reported the case to the police. Yakubu eventually surrendered after his details were made public in the media.

Fraud involving business figures in Ghana continues to rise, with a growing number of high-profile cases exposing weaknesses in financial oversight and due diligence. In a recent development.