Alleged fraudster on GES payroll busted

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has busted a suspected fraudster that has been withdrawing salaries from the government’s coffers with fake documents for the past decades.

The culprit who is a native of the Talensi District in the Upper East Region uses three different identities to undertake this illegality without notice by authorities.

On different documents, this ‘fraudster’ has been using Baba Zumah Yaro, Terroug Zongbil Yaro Zumah and Tiroug Baba Yaro Zumah.

Circumstances leading to his penetration into GES’ payroll have been bizarre and mysterious because, available information indicate that he has no recognized educational background.

How did the alarm blow?

A1 Radio gathers that letters were written to GES from one Farruk Braimah and Tebon Zumah who are paternal and maternal brothers of Baba Zumah Yaro alleging that he was an impostor submitting certificates for employment belonging to their late brother, Baba Zumah.

The late brother (Baba Zumah) was a Lecturer at Tamale Polytechnic in the Department of Building and Construction and died on 29th June,2002. he was a professional Teacher with a Bachelors of Arts Certificate from the University of Cape Coast.

Interdiction

Preliminary investigations were launched into the reported allegations by the Upper East Regional Directorate of GES.

Consequently, the salary of Baba Zumah Yaro was stopped pending completion of the findings. The case was then forwarded to the Director-General which some recommendations were made for further actions against him including; dismissal and criminal prosecution for defrauding GES by false pretense and collecting salaries which he was not entitled to.

In a letter dated 17th February 2020 by GES intercepted by A1 News and addressed to Baba Yaro, it stated that “Management of Ghana Education Service is currently investigating an allegation to the effect that you are using in your employment as a teacher in GES does not belong to you. In the course of the investigations, it has been realized that you are currently standing trial before the High Court of Justice, Bolgatanga on charges related to the same facts as the substance of the investigations being carried out by the Ghana Education Service”.

He has therefore been directed to surrender all properties of GES in his possession to the West Mamprusi Directorate in the North East Region and proceed on interdiction.

“Subsequently, in line with the relevant provision of the code of conduct for staff of Ghana Education Service, you are interdicted forthwith pending the outcome of the trial. You are to hand –over all official property under your care or in your control to the District Director of Education for West Mamprusi in the North-East Region while you proceed on your interdiction. Please, note that also that GES reserves the right to take any administrative decision on the matter irrespective of the pendency of the trial” the statement signed by Director General of GES, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa said.

The absence of a Senior State Attorney in the Upper East Region has however delayed prosecution of this highly criminal case allowing the suspect to be walking freely in Bolgatanga.