A 34-year-old lawyer, Divine Effah-Dartey, together with two other men, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court in connection with an alleged fraudulent excavator transaction that reportedly cost a businessman GH¢800,000.
Effah-Dartey is facing a charge of abetment of defrauding by false pretences for allegedly assisting others to deceive a buyer into paying a large sum of money for an excavator the sellers did not legally own. He pleaded not guilty and was granted police enquiry bail after an application by his father, Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (rtd.), a retired naval officer.
Co-Accused and Bail Conditions
Two other accused persons were also arraigned:
• Mawuli Awadzi Amenyo, 49, a carpenter, charged with conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences, pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of GH¢400,000 with two sureties, one to be justified.
• Jiang Tao, a warehouse manager, charged with abetment, was also admitted to police enquiry bail.
A fourth suspect, Rishan Mahanta, who allegedly played a central role in the transaction, is currently at large and is expected to face an additional charge of forgery.
Presiding judge Evelyn Asamoah adjourned the case to January 23, 2026, for further proceedings.
How the Alleged Fraud Occurred
Presenting the facts, Detective Chief Inspector Abel Amanie told the court that the complainant, Kofi Boateng, a businessman based in Asankragwa in the Western Region, was seeking to purchase an excavator for commercial rental purposes.
In September 2025, Boateng was allegedly introduced to Amenyo through a third party. Amenyo later linked him to Mahanta, who claimed to be an excavator importer operating in Accra.
On October 1, 2025, Boateng travelled to Accra with associates to inspect the equipment. They were reportedly taken to the premises of Caitec Delta Limited, where Mahanta allegedly presented several excavators as his own. The prosecution said Jiang Tao released a key to allow Boateng test one of the machines, despite restricted access to the facility.
Satisfied with the inspection, Boateng agreed to purchase a Sany hydraulic excavator valued at GH¢1.7 million and made an upfront payment of GH¢800,000.
Role of the Lawyer
Prosecutors said Boateng was later taken to a law firm in Kaneshie, where Effah-Dartey, introduced as Mahanta’s lawyer, allegedly received the cash payment, issued a receipt, and handed over what was presented as an Import Declaration Form from the Ghana Revenue Authority. Investigations later suggested the document was forged.
The court heard that Amenyo subsequently disappeared under the pretext of arranging transport for the excavator and cut off communication. Further checks revealed that the accused persons did not own the excavator, and that Mahanta was not a registered client of the law firm involved.
Amenyo was arrested on October 7, 2025, and allegedly admitted his role, telling investigators that the money had been handed over to Effah-Dartey.
Ongoing Investigation
Police say investigations are continuing as efforts intensify to locate Mahanta and recover the funds. The case is expected to resume in January 2026 as the prosecution builds its case against the accused persons.
Source: Africa Publicity
