Former Parliamentary aspirant of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Amenfi West Constituency in the Western Region, Gordon Sarfo-Adu, has been accused of duping two investors of an amount of fifteen thousand Dollars ($15,000), equivalent to Fifty Nine Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢59, 000.00) under the pretext of securing them linsence to operate lottery (Lotto Bingo) in the Country.
Information reaching The New Crusading GUIDE indicates that, Mr. Sarfo-Adu a known member of the NDC claimed the former Gaming Commissioner under the NDC regime was his close friend and therefore could fast truck the procurement of the certificate.
Narrating how they were duped by Sarfo-Adu, one of the victims Cosmos Armoh Acheampong, a Ghanaian based in Spain told this paper via telephone that he and his Chinese investor, Mr Henry Lie Lin, were made to believe initially by Sarfo Adu whose government, NDC was then in power, that he could help them secure all the necessary documentations and permit to get their business running in Ghana by the end of 2016 but that did not materialize.
According to him, they came to Ghana in 2015 to explore some business opportunities and met Sarfo Adu who was introduced to them by a friend and they discussed their business plan.
He explained that after discussions and how to secure all the needed documentations and permit, Sarfo Adu gave them assurance he could help them secure the permit since he (Mr Sarfo Adu) was well connected in the then NDC administration.
He said, Sarfo Adu later came back and informed them that he needed to change the name of their company which was Renyi Africa to Renyi Bingo before they could be given the permit to operate and would cost them $2,000 which they paid in addition to the cost of the permit which was $25.000 to enable them operate their business.
Mr. Acheampong explained that upon consultation with his Chinese partner, they agreed to pay the amount through their business partner in Ghana Mr. Ye, a plastic producer located at the Industrial Area of Accra.
He continued that the NDC man in the company of one Amoah Sarpong went to Mr. Yen and collected the money but later went into hiding.
According to him, all effort to get Sarfo Adu to start the acquisition of the permit came to nothing.
But he said, somewhere in 2016 Sarfo-Adu resurfaced, and asked them to come down to Ghana to enable him complete the permit acquisition process.
Mr. Acheampong said, due to some challenges, he could not make it to Ghana but his partner Mr Lie Lin honoured the call and came and was met on arrival by one Paa Kofi Osteen also known as Israel, a personal friend of Sarfo-Adu who took him to a hotel.
He said, his partner, Lie Lin spent over two weeks in Ghana but Sarfo Adu failed to show up at all the scheduled meetings and so he returned to China very disappointed.
“After several months of playing hide and seek with us he called in early 2017 to inform us that the acquisition processes had stalled due to change in government. So we realized it was a case of fraud so we lodged a complaint at the Criminal Investigations Department CID) in Accra and the accused was later apprehended where he admitted the offence and promised to refund the money,” he explained.
Meanwhile this newspaper’s checks at the CID headquarters in Accra confirmed the narration given by the complainant.
In an interview with Mr. Henry Lie Lin, who is back in Ghana to conduct other businesses, confirmed the story and said he would make sure he retrieves the money from the suspect before returning to his native country, China.
According to him, Ghana is not noted for such people like Sarfo-Adu.
He, however, indicated that the incident would not deter him from investing in the country.
In another interview, Mr. Ye who confirmed handing over the money to Sarfo-Adu, expressed his surprise over the turn of events.
He noted that he trusted the suspect so much that he never doubted his (Sarfo-Adu) sincerity.
The personal friend of the suspect Israel, who picked Henry Lie Lin also confirmed the story when contacted by this newspaper
Further checks at the Ghana Game Commission revealed that no company was registered or given permit between 2015 and 2017 under the name Renyi Bingo to operate in Ghana.
Meanwhile effort to get response from Sarfo-Adu proved futile after several cell phone calls.
