An Executive Assistant at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Anthonette Ama Boakye, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court accused of defrauding a US-based Ghanaian businessman of GH¢221,750 and diverting the funds into online sports betting.
According to a Citinews report, the 36-year-old accused, who pleaded not guilty to one count of defrauding by false pretences, was granted bail of GH¢200,000 with three sureties by the Circuit Court 3, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah.
Two of the sureties must be close relatives, with one required to justify their means.
Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Maxwell Ayeh, told the court that Boakye met the complainant, Alfred Adu, through a police officer while she was in custody at the Legon Police Station in 2023 over an unrelated fraud case.
While in detention, Boakye allegedly convinced Police Officer Vincent Ariston Attipoe, a friend of the complainant, about a lucrative “flight-ticket procurement investment” supposedly linked to her previous employer, USAID.
Officer Attipoe introduced the opportunity to Adu, who later held a three-way phone conversation with both of them and agreed to invest.
Between April and July 2024, Adu transferred a total of GH¢221,750 to Boakye, GH¢74,837 through Officer Attipoe and GH¢146,913 directly to her mobile money and bank accounts.
When no returns materialised and Adu demanded his money back, Boakye allegedly refunded only GH¢20,000.
Police investigations subsequently revealed that large portions of the money were transferred from Boakye’s mobile money wallet into a Betway sports betting account and gambled away.
The case has been adjourned to January 6, 2026, for case management conference. Boakye remains on bail.