The Kumasi High Court One has adjourned proceedings in the alleged fraud case involving Yahaya Tamimu and four others to March 5, 2025.
The decision followed a request from the prosecution, led by Detective Chief Frank Osae, who informed the court that additional time was required to build the case and provide necessary legal guidance.
Case Overview
The accused, Yahaya Tamimu, a 34-year-old businessman, allegedly facilitated fraud by assisting Sulemana Habib Usman (also known as Suleman Dauda or Mohammed) in defrauding businessman Michael Opoku Gyebi.
Tamimu is accused of providing Gyebi with details of his Stanbic Bank account (Account Number: 9040006913657), into which GH₵12,000,000.00 (approximately $1,800,403.36) was deposited for the purchase of 87 Sinotruck Howo TX 6X4 tipper trucks.
Court Proceedings
Presiding judge Justice Anna Taylor granted an adjournment to allow the defense adequate time to prepare its legal documents. The accused persons were also instructed to report regularly to the case investigator until the case is finalized.
Case Facts
The complainant, Michael Opoku Gyebi, is a businessman and road contractor. The accused individuals include:
- Yahaya Tamimu – Businessman, operating under Tamco Star Enterprise.
- Abdul Majid Alhassan – Businessman and owner of Abdul Majid Ventures.
- Suleman Habib Usman (aka Suleman Dauda or Mohammed) – Businessman operating in Dubai.
- Hafeez Huseini Fuseini – Currently at large.
- Yabila Umar Adams – Also at large, operates under Yabila Global Limited.
In January 2024, Gyebi entered into a business arrangement with Usman, who claimed to have connections for purchasing vehicles at competitive exchange rates in Dubai. Based on this assurance, Gyebi expressed interest in acquiring 87 Sinotruck Howo TX 6X4 tipper trucks and was asked to make an upfront payment of $4,500,000.00.
Fraudulent Transactions
On March 1, 2024, Gyebi transferred GH₹5,000,000.00 from his Zenith Bank account to Tamco Star Enterprise’s Stanbic Bank Ghana account. He later made an additional deposit of GH₹7,000,000.00, bringing the total transfer to GH₵12,000,000.00 ($1,800,403.36).
Between March 1 and August 29, 2024, Gyebi, following Usman’s instructions, deposited GH₹35,000,000.00 ($2,680,672.27) into Abdul Majid Ventures’ Stanbic Bank Ghana account and a Mobile Money account linked to Abdul Majid Alhassan. Additionally, GH₹9,650,000.00 ($810,000.00) was transferred into a Stanbic Bank account belonging to Yabila Global Limited.
Investigation and Arrests
After completing the payments, Gyebi struggled to reach Usman. Upon contacting Sinotruck International in Dubai, he discovered that while an order had been placed, no payments had been made. Attempts to locate Usman were unsuccessful.
On November 16, 2024, Gyebi reported the case to the Regional CID in Kumasi, prompting an investigation. With assistance from the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), bank accounts belonging to the accused were frozen on November 18, 2024. Account balances at the time of freezing were:
- Tamco Star Enterprise (Tamimu’s account): GH₹1,002,350.01
- Abdul Majid Ventures (Alhassan’s account): GH₹410.00
- Yabila Global Limited (Adams’ account): GH₹105.39
Police investigations led to Tamimu’s arrest in Accra on November 26, 2024. In his caution statement, he admitted receiving GH₵12,000,000.00 ($1,800,403.36) into his Tamco Star Enterprise account but claimed he transferred it to Hafeez Huseini Fuseini. However, he failed to assist the police in locating Fuseini.
On November 27, 2024, police arrested Abdul Majid Alhassan in Togo. During interrogation, Alhassan admitted receiving GH₹35,000,000.00 ($2,680,672.27) in his Abdul Majid Ventures account. He claimed he withdrew the money and handed it to an individual sent by Usman.
Further Findings
Bank statements contradicted the claims made by the accused, revealing that Tamimu, Alhassan, and Adams were accomplices who used their business accounts to facilitate the fraud. Notably, a transaction history from July 31, 2024, showed that Tamimu transferred GH₹550,000.00 into Alhassan’s account, despite both previously denying any acquaintance.
Next Steps
The case is set for further hearings from March 3-5, 2025, as the prosecution continues to gather evidence. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the two fugitives and recover the defrauded sums.
