Teacher Faces Court for Allegedly Stealing $11,000 and Defrauding Victim of $33,400

A 47-year-old teacher, Ernestina Koranteng, has appeared before the Accra Circuit Court on charges of stealing and defrauding by false pretence.

She is accused of stealing $11,000 and defrauding a Ghanaian resident in the USA of $33,400 between 2020 and 2021.

Koranteng is alleged to have collected the money with promises to build a house at Ablekuma-Joma in Accra and establish a pharmacy shop for the complainant.

However, instead of fulfilling her promises, she deceived the complainant by taking her to a rented facility at Dansoman, presenting it as the purchased property. She also falsely claimed that she had built a house, but the structure was later demolished.

The teacher is facing two counts of stealing and two counts of defrauding by false pretence. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Addo, granted her bail in the amount of one million Ghana cedis, with three sureties, all of whom must be within the jurisdiction of the court. The case has been adjourned to April 9, 2025.

According to the prosecution, the complainant, a Ghanaian residing in the USA but originally from Akim Asafo in the Eastern Region, entrusted Koranteng with two cars—an unregistered Chevrolet Sonic valued at $5,500 and a VW Passat valued at $6,000—in 2020.

Koranteng sold both cars and claimed the proceeds were used to develop land for the complainant at Ablekuma-Joma.

The complainant also sent Koranteng additional sums of money, totalling $18,400, to assist with the development.

In 2024, Koranteng convinced the complainant to send her $15,000 to open a pharmacy.

However, when the complainant returned to Ghana later that year and asked to see the house and pharmacy, Koranteng led her to a house at Dansoman, claiming it was the one she had purchased.

When the complainant attempted to inspect the house, Koranteng falsely claimed that the caretaker had traveled. The accused also claimed there was no pharmacy.

Upon further investigation, the police discovered that the house at Dansoman was not owned by the complainant, but was a rental property.

Additionally, the land at Ablekuma-Joma, which Koranteng claimed to have built on, was found to be empty and had been demolished, despite her claims otherwise.

Koranteng was arrested on January 23, 2025, following the complainant’s report to the police.