THREE MEN who were arrested by the Mamprobi Police in connection with a GH¢41,500 fraud case have been paraded before an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour Patricia Amponsah.
They have been identified as Samuel Koranteng, 37, unemployed; Joseph Quaye, 33, a computer technician; and Edmund Nii Okai Attoh, 30, a shop attendant.
They have been charged with six counts of abetment of crime and defrauding by false pretences, after succeeding in collecting various amounts of monies from some six victims under the pretext of securing them jobs. They promised to secure jobs for their victims at COCOCBOD, GRA, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and the Bank of Ghana. They collected money from another victim to secure an American visa for him.
The accused persons were each granted bail to reappear on July 21, 2022.
Accused Samuel Koranteng (A1) was granted bail in the sum of GH¢60,000 with three sureties, two of whom must be public servants; while Joseph Quaye (A2) was also granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with three sureties, two to be justified while Edmund Nii Okai Attoh (A3) was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with two sureties, with one to be justified with title deed.
Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Inspector John Gohoho, who read the facts of the case in court, said the complainants in this case are Joana Nettey, a civil servant; Dorothy Yeboah, unemployed; Shirley Naa Ayeley Tagoe, a Customs officer; Isaac Nunoo, an airline security officer; Abigail Andrea-Gerbah Prentica, unemployed; and Daniel Allotey, a banker. They live at Mamprobi and its environs.
A witness in the case, Rudolf Nii Okaiya Tagoe, is a Customs officer and a friend to Al.
In the month of February, 2022, Al visited the witness in his house and informed him that he had a genuine friend, A3, who works with the Director of Operations at the Presidency.
A1 told the witness that A3 could help secure jobs for people for a fee, indicating he had already assisted nine persons to be enlisted into the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
He said the witness, who was convinced, was later introduced to A3 by Al, after which the witness went ahead to inform the first, second, third, fourth and fifth complainants about the issue, making them develop interest too.
The prosecutor said the first complainant wanted to work at COCOBOD and paid a total GH¢4,000.00 to A3. Also, she paid GH¢4,500.00 each on behalf of her brother and husband respectively to be enlisted into GIS and GRA. In all, she paid a total of GH¢13,000.00 to A3 via his mobile money account.
The second complainant wanted to work with GIS and paid GH¢5,500.00 to A3. Third complainant wanted her husband to work at COCOBOD and on April 1 and 5, 2022 she paid a total of GH¢6,500.00 to A3 via his mobile money account number.
On April 4, 2022, the fourth complainant and the witness met A3 at James Town, where A3 promised to secure a visa for him to travel to United States of America because of his working relation with the Director of Operations at the Presidency. He collected GH¢4,000.00 from him for the process.
The fifth complainant wanted to work at Bank of Ghana and on April 5, 2022, paid GH¢3,000.00 to A3.
The sixth complainant wanted a job for his wife at Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, and also paid GH¢9,500 to A3.
The victims later did their background checks after there was a delay in getting the job, after which they found out that A3 had no connection with the Director of Operations at the Presidency. The matter was later reported to the Mamprobi Police Station, which led to the arrest of the accused persons.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey