A Chinese businessman and six Ghanaian nationals have been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly conspiring in a GH₵440,000 game-cheating scheme at the Golden Dragon Casino in Osu, Accra.
The accused, Mu Shuai, is alleged to have worked with Rudolph Ayin, Loveland Odamtten Okpoti, Joseph Addo Narh, Ibrahim Tijani, Kelvin Baidoo, and Elijah Larbi—who are all employees of the casino—to defraud the establishment.
However, all seven individuals pleaded not guilty to the charges. Each of the accused was granted bail in the sum of GH₵.400,000 with two sureties.
The court specified that one of each defendant’s sureties must be justified, and for Mu Shuai, one surety must be a Chinese national. Additionally, Shuai has been ordered to deposit his travel documents with the court’s registry.
The court also directed Shuai, Ayin and Narh to report to the police once a week.
The case has been adjourned to April 24, 2025.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Benjamin Baafi, prosecuting, said the
complainant was the manageress of Golden Dragon Casino, whilst Shuai was a player.
Ayin, Okpoti, Narh, Tijani, Baidoo and Larbi were workers at the Casino.
In 2024, Shuai registered with the Casino and started playing the games, which he continued for some time, ASP Baafi said.
The company had a way of tracking every customer daily and Shuai’s daily tracking showed abnormal wins.
He was monitored for a while until February 16, 2025 when the surveillance manager came across a dealing involving a card between Shuai and Narh, which was not normal to the standard of the Casino, prosecution said.
ASP Baafi said the system was reviewed and followed Shuai daily playing with dealers back to September 2024 and discovered that on various days and dates he and his alleged accomplices were having their way of flashing cards contrary to the gaming rules.
Detailed investigation was then conducted in the system and findings showed that Shuai had wrongfully won games to the tune of GH¢440, 000.00 with the help of the Casino staff, the Court heard.
Prosecution said a formal complaint was lodged with the police, leading to the arrest of the accused persons.
During investigations Shuai admitted the offence in his cautioned statement and single handedly refunded the amount to the company through his fellow player.
The accused persons denied the offence but admitted they had been receiving money from Shuai as a reward whenever he played and won.
ASP Baafi said the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) images revealed that the accused persons conspired and cheated the company. After investigation they were all charged with the offences and put before court.
GNA