EXCLUSIVE: Charles Opoku Darko debunks allegations of involvement in NAM1 Dubai fraud scandal

Charles Opoku Darko, CEO of CODCO Limited, a real estates developer and forex bureau business, who has been mentioned in the Menzgold CEO, Nana Appiah Mensah’s Dubai fraud scandal has for the first time spoken on the matter, debunking the allegations against him.

The Herald newspaper first published in January 2019, a report on a $51 million gold fraud which Dubai-based gold buyer; Horizon Royal Diamonds DMCC, fell victim to, and consequently caused the arrest of Nana Appiah Mensah  (NAM1) in Dubai.

The report named Adentunji Adewoye Olorunfemi, the owner of Just Gold Ghana Limited and Charles Opoku-Darko as two suspected fraudsters in connection with the case. These two names received more prominence this week when Kelvin Ekow Taylor, the host of “With All Due Respect” released part two of his exposé on the alleged people behind the fall of NAM1, on Facebook.

In a phone conversation with Charles Opoku Darko, who said he was abroad for a treatment of nerve-related condition, he explained that these allegations against him were untrue. Although he admitted that some transactions were made into his bank account, he explained that they were in connection with houses that Adentunji wanted to buy from him.

According to him, his friend Adentunji requested to buy some houses from him and after signing the contract documents, a bank transaction was made as payment for the houses. He said: “However, when I was going to withdraw some of the money, that was when I realized that the account had been frozen by EOCO.  I was invited by EOCO and I explained and presented documents showing the purpose of the transaction.”

“Adentunji paid for the services of a lawyer on his own, and eventually the funds were released. I wanted to transfer the money to his account but his accounts had been frozen so I signed for him to withdraw his money from my account and terminated the sale of the houses.  I have no business with him and whatever he went to do in Dubai. I have a lot of people buying properties from me, I cannot know how they all get their money to pay me.”

‘I don’t know why I am being added up to this whole scandal. I have not collected money from Ghanaians. I have not done any business with NAM1 and Ade.  I didn’t follow either of them to go and sign any business transaction in Dubai. I don’t know anything about this.”