The Asokwa Circuit Court in Kumasi, presided over by Fred Obikyere, has sentenced 32-year-old Abdul Manaf Lawal to 35 years imprisonment with hard labour for defrauding by false pretence.
Lawal was arrested after defrauding a complainant who had given him $50,000 to convert into the Ghanaian cedi equivalent. Instead of completing the transaction, Lawal went into hiding.
A police statement signed by DSP Godwin Ahianyo, Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, detailed that extensive investigations led to Lawal’s arrest in Accra on June 27, 2025, linked to a similar offence. He was transferred to the Ashanti Regional Police Command for further inquiry.
Initially pleading not guilty, Lawal was remanded in police custody pending trial. However, on September 3, 2025, he changed his plea to guilty.
The prosecution also informed the court that Lawal had a prior conviction, having served 24 months for theft. This led to the postponement of sentencing until September 10, 2025, when the final sentence was handed down.
