An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a man, Paul Tuopare Junior, into police custody for allegedly defrauding the National Investment Bank (NIB) of $386,790.
Paul Tuopare Junior is alleged to have fraudulently acquired 45 Mastercard payment cards and used them to transact business that amounted to $386,790.
The police had initially arrested about 13 suspects in connection with the case, however, Tuopare was cited as the mastermind of the crime and was arrested by security operatives at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) whilst going through departure formalities to leave for the United Kingdom (UK).
Tuopare has been charged with stealing, but has pleaded not guilty. He will be expected to reappear in court on August 2, 2023.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Richard Amoah, asked the court to remand Tuopare pending further investigations into the matter.
Gyamfi Nana Yeboah represented Tuopare.
Chief Inspector Amoah told the court that on July 16, 2020, the management of NIB reported that Mastercard International, the second-largest payment-processing corporation worldwide, detected an unusual Automated Teller Machine (ATM) traffic out of Cote d’Ivoire on the bank’s portfolio during the late hours of July 12, 2022.
The prosecution said the bank later discovered that 45 Mastercards were fraudulently acquired and used to “fraudulently transact business to the tune of $386,790.”
It said the police commenced investigations and 13 suspects were arrested, cautioned, and released on police enquiry bail to assist in investigations.
The prosecution said Tuopare went into hiding and efforts to arrest him had proved futile.
It said the Kaneshie District Court granted a warrant of arrest and Tuopare was put on the “Stop List.”
The prosecution added that on July 13, 2023, Tuopare was seized at the KIA by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), while going through departure formalities to the UK.
There, prosecution said, the accused was handed over to the police.