Diamond Appiah rearrested after AG drops charge against her

Businesswoman, Diamond Appiah has been rearrested moments after the Circuit Court in Accra had discharged her in an alleged fraudulent land transaction.

The Office of the Attorney in a process signed by Mrs Evelyn Keelson, a Chief State Attorney, dropped the charge against her.

But moments after she stepped out of the courtroom, she was whisked away by the police.

Earlier this year, on January 17, Diamond Appiah was arrested and charged for an alleged fraudulent land transaction involving an amount of $30, 000.

Appiah who is said to have sold a portion of land at East Legon Hills to Ayisha Modi for $30, 0000 was then granted bail in the sum of GHc300k after she pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However in Court on Monday, August 21, 2023, the Prosecutor, DSP Evans Kesse, told the court that, the docket was referred to the AG’s office for advice.

He said through that, a process was filed to withdraw the case.

DSP Kesse consequently, said the case “shall not continue” per the process filed by Mrs Evelyn Keelson.

Counsel for the accused for his part said, the Prosecution had no case against his client and it was not for anything that the law is used to fight justice.

While intimating that, the law is meant for justice said, the action against his client was incompetent.

The Court presided over by His Honour Mr Isaac Addo after listening to the arguments, acknowledged that, such a process was filed and signed by a Chief State Attorney.

He said, when such a process was filed the accused person is entitled to be discharged.

It was, however, not immediately clear why Diamond Appiah who was beaming was rearrested after being discharged.

Ayisha Modi, who was the complainant in the matter was present in court.

Background

The brief facts of the case as presented to the Court by the DSP Evans Kesse said Complainant Ayisha Modi is a Businesswoman and lives at Adjiringanor, Accra.

The accused Diamond Appiah he said is also a Businesswoman and stays at East Legon.

According to the Prosecutor DSP Kesse, in 2020, the complainant needed a plot of land to purchase for a building purpose and was discussing it with one Johnson, a witness in this case.

He said, the accused who overheard the conversation, jumped in and said she had a plot of land lying at East Legon Hills and could sell same to the complainant at a cheaper price.

The Prosecutor said the accused demanded and collected cash, the sum of US3$30,000.00 from the complainant under the pretext of selling her one parcel of land lying at East Legon Hills.

DSP Kesse said, the accused took the complainant to a land at East Legon Hills and when the complainant later went to the land, she met one Gustav who claimed ownership of the land.

The Prosecutor said, the complainant made several attempts to retrieve her money from the accused person but she failed and made a report to the Police and accused was arrested.

He told the court that during investigation, it was established that, the accused did not have any land at that location before she swindled the complainant.

“In her investigation cautioned statement, she admitted the offence. After investigation, she was charged with the offence and brought before this Honourable Court,” the Prosecutor told the court.