An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a 43-year-old man who allegedly posed as a military officer to defraud a businessman of GH¢192,000 under the guise of providing security for a disputed parcel of land.
The accused, Mahama Sani Razak, also known as Major Zack Gariba Tanko, has pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding Mr Lambon Justice Iddrisu by falsely claiming he was a serving officer of the Ghana Armed Forces who could deploy soldiers to protect the complainant’s land from land guards.
Razak was remanded by Circuit Court Eleven and is expected to reappear on February 10, 2026. The court also ordered that the accused, who appeared on crutches, be sent for medical examination after he alleged he sustained injuries during his arrest.
Presenting the facts, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo told the court that the complainant, a businessman living at North Legon, owns several plots of land at Kwabenya. In March 2025, the accused allegedly introduced himself to the complainant as a military officer.
According to the prosecution, Razak later took the complainant to Burma Camp, where he further represented himself as a Major stationed at the Military Police Unit. When the complainant complained about harassment from land guards, the accused allegedly offered to provide armed security using junior military personnel.
The court heard that the complainant, convinced by these claims, transferred GH¢192,000 to the accused through three MTN Mobile Money accounts bearing different names.
After receiving the money, Razak allegedly failed to provide the promised security and went into hiding. Subsequent checks with the Ghana Armed Forces revealed that the accused was not a serving soldier, prompting the complainant to report the matter to the police.
Investigations further revealed that one of the mobile money accounts belonged to the accused’s wife, who admitted during interrogation that she received and withdrew some of the funds on his behalf.
The prosecution told the court that Razak was first arraigned before Circuit Court Three in July 2025 and granted bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 with two justified sureties. However, after meeting the bail conditions, he allegedly absconded, leading to the case being struck out in November 2025.
In January 2026, police received information that the accused had been arrested in Akuse in connection with a similar offence, leading to the filing of fresh charges.
Counsel for the accused, Theophilus Donkor, appealed for bail, arguing that Razak is a businessman with properties in East Legon and that he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. He also cited the accused’s alleged medical condition.
The prosecution opposed the bail application, describing Razak as a flight risk, and urged the court to remand him in custody.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
