Nana Appiah Mensah aka NAM1
Details are emerging as to why the owner of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1, was re-arrested by the police immediately after he was granted bail in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
It’s turning out that he was picked up again on the supposed request of Interpol to the police in the Emirati country.
Unconfirmed reports indicated that the Dubai prosecutors realized that a prima facie case might not be established against NAM1 in a $51 million gold deal, and as a result the court started to ‘relax’ the restrictions placed on him.
However, the Interpol’s alleged intervention ensured that he was still kept in custody as person of interest in other parts of the world, including Ghana.
Nigerian Connection
According to reports, the Dubai authorities are particularly on the heels of one Adetunji Adewoye Olorunfemi, aka Ade, who is believed to be involved in the $51 million gold deal for which NAM1 has landed in trouble.
The said Ade, according to DAILY GUIDE’s sources, was placed on the ‘Stop List’ at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) after the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) detected that he was using both Ghanaian and Nigerian passports at the same time.
He reportedly outwitted the security agencies by travelling by road to Nigeria to escape arrest instead of using KIA.
Diplomatic Passport
A source claimed between 2012 and 2016, Ade used a Ghanaian diplomatic passport even though he was not qualify for it and used the birth date – January 12, 1976.
Interestingly, in Ade’s ECOWAS Travel Card, he uses the name Ogumtomole Yinka with the birth date 01-12-1980.
NAM1’s Advocates
Advocates of NAM1 have been making ‘serious’ statements about the said Ade, particularly on social media.
They claimed the Nigerian is crucial in the $51 million gold deal for which the embattled Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the gold collectibles firm has been held in Dubai since December 7, last year.
They posted the travel documents of the said Ade on social media.
“Can you imagine? He has both Ghanaian and Nigerian passports…He is the only solution to this NAM problem.”
They also posted that “this Ade is the reason why NAM1 is in custody in Dubai and has not seen the sun in a very long time (four months)… a Nigerian man too with both Ghanaian and Nigerian passports.”
Impending Protest
Recently, members of a group calling itself Concerned Customers of Menzgold threatened to embark on a demonstration this week to demand their investments that have been locked at the company.
The aggrieved customers announced plans to picket at the Attorney General’s Department, Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and other state institutions to demand their monies.
Government has already indicated that it will not use the taxpayer’s money to pay Menzgold’s customers.
Sale of Properties
NAM1 suggested to the Government of Ghana to sell off his properties to settle his clients back home.
He reportedly made that suggestion to a delegation from Ghana, comprising representatives from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) and National Security that visited him in prison in Dubai between January 16 and 18, 2019.
List of Customers
Daily Guide’s investigations in February revealed that there were a total of 4,998 customers of Menzgold and not the estimated 46,000 as published earlier in the media.
By Melvin Tarlue