Auto-Technician fined for forging Ministers Signature

Accra, June 15, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday imposed a fine of one million cedis on Solomon Nii Lankai Lamptey, 26, an Auto-Technician, for forgery.

Lamptey, who forged the signature of Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City, and the Letterhead of Parliament, would in-default serve a two-year jail term.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of forging official document, possessing forged document and uttering forged document at the Court presided over by Mrs Elizabeth Ankomah.

Before passing sentence, the accused pleaded with the Court for leniency because he committed the offence out of frustration of being unemployed.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector of Police, George Abavelin said on May 24, this year, the accused forged the signature of the Minister and the Letterhead of Parliament and submitted them to the Embassies of Egypt and Brazil requesting for Visas as the Minister's son.

Chief Inspector Abavelin said the accused person was granted the visas after which the Embassies sent a letter of confirmation to the Minister informing him that his request had been granted.

The Prosecution said The Minister realizing that he had been impersonated reported the case to the Police and the accused was arrested. During interrogation he admitted the offence.

Chief Inspector Abavalin said during investigations it was also revealed that the accused had sent similar letters to the Embassies of Lebanon, China, Japan and Canadian High Commission.

He said the accused used his brother's name, "Theophilius Lamptey" in all the documents instead of his real name Solomon Nii Lankai Lamptey. Letters have been sent to the Embassies and the High Commission to cancel the claims.