Alhaji Hearts, 2 Others Bailed.

By Stephen K. Effah
Friday, 22 August 2008

Three persons, including an executive member of the Accra Hearts of Oak Football Club, were yesterday put before an Accra Circuit Court charged with money laundering.

The three, who pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, concealment of currency, and aiding and abetment of money laundering were given a 25,000 Ghana cedi bail each with one surety.

The accused, Claribel Ewura Esi Kinful, a Cabin Crew, Alhaji Sulemana Braimah, popularly known as Alhaji Hearts and Alhaji Ahmed Tijan, a taxi driver, are also to report to the Bureau of National Investigations on Mondays at 2:00 pm until the determination of the case.

The facts as presented to the court presided over by Mr.Nathaniel Osam, were that Kinful, who is a cabin crew member of the Ghana International Airline, arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on the night of August 8, from London.

According to the prosecution, ASP George Abavelim, a random search was conducted by the security officials of the airline upon which they found 59,870 pounds concealed in the two travelling bags of Kinful.

He told the court that when Kinful was interrogated, she disclosed that the money was given to her by one George in UK to be given to someone in Accra, and that, the said George told her that someone would call her and take delivery of the money upon her arrival.

She could, however, not provide any information on the said George, ASP Abavelim said, adding that Kinful in her caution statement admitted to having transacted money in similar manner with the said George on several occasions.

The prosecution said that on August 14, while investigations were ongoing, Alhaji Hearts came to the BNI Headquarters with Tijan to claim ownership of the money seized from Kinful.

According to Alhaji Hearts, he sent 50, 000 pounds through one Mushoo to Tijan in the UK one and a half years ago to buy him a house tthere but when Mushoo was interrogated, he claimed it was Alhaji Hearts himself who brought the said money to him.

ASP Abavelim said that “in view of the discrepancies in their assertions, further investigations are being conducted to establish their complicity in the case involving the smuggling of the 59, 870 pounds to Ghana”.