Blessed Godsbrain Smart, also known as Captain Smart, the host of Onua TV’s breakfast show, has been charged with two counts of extortion.
According to the prosecution, the two charges stem from incidents on December 23, 2021, and January 12, 2022, in which he allegedly extorted $10,000 and GHc50,000 from a businessman named Ahmed Kwabena Nkrumah.
One other person, Eric Daniels Dadzie Copperfield also known as GH Boy is facing a charge of Abetment.
According to EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah, the two have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been granted GHc50,000 bail.
The court presided over by His Honour K.K. Obiri-Yeboah in addition to the bail sum said they should produce two sureties who must be family or relative.
The Prosecution has been ordered to serve the accused persons with disclosures.
The case has been adjourned to March 3, 2022.
The prosecution was led by Detective Inspector Frederick Sarpong while the accused were represented by Lawyer Martin Kpebu.
Brief facts
According to the brief facts of the case presented by Detective Inspector Sarpong, the complainant is a businessman based in Tema while A1 (Captain Smart) and A2 (Eric Daniels) are broadcast journalists working at Onua TV/Radio station.
The prosecutor said, during the month of December 2021, A1 who claimed to have obtained fishy information about the complainant’s dealings at Tema Port during his morning show program airings, mentioned the complainant’s name and threatened to expose and disgrace him.
According to him, the 1st accused through a witness in the case invited the complainant to meet with him on December 23, 2021.
He said the 1st accused hosted the complainant and a witness in the case at his office.
The prosecutor said, A1 during the meeting with the complainant and the witness, demanded an amount of GHC10, 000.00 from the complainant under the guise of greasing the palms of his supposed “elders” and ending the airings of the alleged fishy deals of the complainant and his people at Tema port.
According to the prosecutor, the complainant who is to be enstooled as a chief in one of the communities in the Ashanti region and dreaded such shameful exposé yielded to the demands of A1.
DetectiveInspector Sarpong said, on the same day, the complainant gave an amount of US$ IO,OOO.OO to A1.
Second demand
He said, A1 upon counting the said dollars informed the complainant that the amount was not enough to cater for his supposed elders and further demanded additional monies.
He added that, on January 11, 2022, A1 placed separate phone calls to both the complainant and the witness in the case to demand the remaining amount or risk being exposed and disgraced.
He said, on January 12, 2022, the complainant and the witness proceeded to the premises of Onua TV/Radio station to deliver the demanded money to A1 who was in the company of A2.
The prosecutor said A1 instructed A2 to receive the booty on his behalf since he was on phone.
“A2 did as instructed and place the booty in the right pocket of his trouser. Personnel of National Signals Bureau who had earlier picked intelligence rushed to the scene and apprehended A2 and search conducted on him revealed a white envelope containing an amount of GHC50, OOO.00 in GHC200 denominations. Upon interrogation, A2 stated that it was Al who instructed him to collect the said money from the complainant.
” A1 was later arrested. During investigation, Al and A2 were granted Police inquiry bail to be reporting periodically. However, both Al and A2 jumped bail. As such, accused summons were secured and served on Al and A2 to appear before this honorable court,” the prosecutor told the court.
