Court orders Ex-Black Stars player Prince Tagoe to pay $40,000 in fraud case

An Accra Circuit Court has told that ex-Black Stars player, Prince Tagoe, reimburse the funds involved in an auto fraud case at a rate of GH₵10 per dollar. So far, Tagoe has reimbursed $21,000 of the total amount, with a remainder of $19,000. However, Tagoe argued that he should be allowed to repay the sum based on the 2021 dollar rate. This was contested by the prosecution, led by Detective Chief Inspector Agartha Abena Asantewa, because the original funds were given to Tagoe in dollars. The prosecution also clarified that they had set the exchange rate at GH₵10 per dollar, even though this did not align with the prevailing foreign exchange market rates.

Tagoe stands accused of defrauding the Black Stars' Assistant Coach, George Boateng, out of $40,000. This was allegedly done under the pretence of importing a Lexus sports utility vehicle for Boateng. Despite being charged with defrauding by false pretences, Tagoe denies the allegations, but has made repayments totalling GH¢161,000 in three separate transactions.

He has been granted bail at GH¢100,000 with three guarantors, one of whom must be a civil servant. The court also stipulates that one of the guarantors should be able to vouch with property ownership.

The complainant, George Antwi Boateng, is also a former footballer and used to manage Tagoe during his time in Germany. Asantewaa stated that in 2020, Boateng and Tagoe met in Ghana where Boateng expressed his interest in purchasing a vehicle. Tagoe agreed to facilitate the import of a car at the cost of $40,000 (approximately GH¢265,200). The money was transferred to Tagoe's bank account on January 8, 2021, and acknowledged via a phone call to Boateng.

Tagoe had initially pledged to deliver the vehicle by March 30, 2021, but was unable to do so. He then requested an additional two weeks, a request that Boateng acquiesced to. However, Tagoe failed to fulfil his promise again. Upon travelling to Ghana on April 27, 2021, to collect the vehicle, Boateng discovered that Tagoe had not imported the car. When questioned, Tagoe confessed that he had used the money for other urgent matters. The case has been postponed until February 21, 2024.