Bail extended to accused persons are free, don’t pay money – Judge cautions

A judge has warned the public about paying money for bail extensions.

Mrs. Sarah Nyarkoa Nkansa, a judge at the Adentan Circuit Court, stated that bail is free. “You don’t need to pay a dime,” she said.

She explained that only if an accused person jumps bail would their sureties have to pay. She urged people to report anyone who asks for money.

This warning came during the trial of Paul Konney, a 45-year-old businessman. He faces charges of defrauding by false pretenses.

Konney allegedly collected GHC80,000 from Eric Kristic under false pretenses. He promised to buy assorted soft drinks and return the money after selling them.

The two were supposed to share profits from the sales. However, Konney denied the fraud charge.

The judge granted him bail of GHC100,000 with two sureties. She ordered him to report to the investigator every Wednesday.

Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo led the prosecution in this case. Both Konney and Kristic are businessmen.

In January 2025, Konney proposed a joint soft drink business to Kristic. After inspecting Konney’s warehouse, Kristic agreed to invest.

Konney requested GHC80,000 for starting the business. Kristic initially gave him GHC25,000 for purchasing drinks.

They bought assorted drinks together for retail sales. Later, Konney asked for the remaining GHC55,000, which Kristic provided.

After receiving GHC80,000, Konney stopped answering Kristic's calls and avoided meetings.

When Kristic visited Konney’s office to check on their goods, he found everything sold without payment made to him.

Kristic reported this to the police. They later called Konney regarding an additional GHC200,000 before arresting him.

During questioning, Konney admitted his wrongdoing in a caution statement. He claimed he used part of the money for furniture and office computers but could not explain where the rest went.