Fake UN ambassador busted

A United States of America citizen, who is falsely parading himself as United Nations (UN) Ambassador in Ghana, is in court to defend the sources of over GH¢1.5 million he received in various transfers from abroad within a period of seven months or the money will be frozen.

The SWIFT transfers indicated that the remittances were payments for projects the suspect undertook for the UN, Bank of Ghana (BoG), Ministry of Finance and other statutory Ghanaian institutions.

John Kurpal Singh Dhillon, bearer of US passport number 506280509, claimed to be a UN ambassador with identity (ID) number UN/AM/082.

However, when contacted, all the institutions, he claimed to have worked for, denied ever undertaking any transaction with the suspect. The UN assertion is that Dhillon is neither an ambassador nor a staff of the UN.

Law on forgery

Section 158 of Criminal Offences of 1960, Act 29 states that “whoever, with intent to deceive any person, forges any judicial or official document shall be guilty of second degree felony”.

Court fixes April 11 to rule

The Financial Crimes Court has set Tuesday, April 11, 2017 to rule whether the accounts should be frozen or not.

Account details

Dhillon maintains an account with initial deposit of GHC100 in one of the banks in Ghana.

Prior to opening of the account, Dhillon was reported to have received several remittances through international money transfer.

GHC1.5m worth of transfers in 7 months

Investigations have revealed that between June 14, 2016 and February 2, 2017, Dhillon received over GHC1.5million (GHC1,551,935.55) in several tranches from various remitters without any economic justification.

Dhillon described the remitter as a business partner who he had known for years.

He also indicated that the money was to be used for ‘for renting an apartment property for two years, pay domestic help and personal expenses.

Dhillon alleged that the previous remittances received were payments for projects he undertook for the UN, BoG, Ministry of Finance and other statutory institutions.

UN, BoG, Ministry of Finance links denied

However, checks at the UN office in Accra to verify a document submitted by Dhillon as regards his employment with the UN revealed that he is neither an ambassador nor a staff of the UN.

Various cash transfers received

For example, on January 4, 2017, the SWIFT statement accompanying the remittance of approximately GHC20,000 indicated the purpose of fraud as ‘food supply to Bank of Ghana”.

On February 8, 2017, he received a remittance of GH¢121,220 from one Andrew Soet Jahjo Moel Jomartono of Singapore for the purposes of “food supply to Bank of Ghana”.

On February 15, 2017, another remittance of GHC26,885.18 was credited to Dhillon’s account. He subsequently withdrew GHC20,000 on February 17, 2017.

In all, Dhillon received transfers totaling of GHC1,551,935.55 within a period of seven months from various remitters.

Contrary to the purpose of funds indicated on the SWIFT service as “food supply to the Bank of Ghana,” the suspect claimed that the funds would be used for renting an apartment for two years and pay domestic help and personal expenses which raised red flag about the transaction.