Ex- Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Dr Nii Josiah Aryeh, seems to be immersible when it comes to news making.
Reports indicate that Dr Aryeh has allegedly taken 11 million cedis belonging to one Jagri Johnson, a yam seller at the Kokomba Market at Agbogloshie, a suburb of Accra, under the pretext of acquiring a visa for him to travel abroad.
However, he has allegedly failed to honour his promise and instead reported Jagri Johnson to the police as an armed robber who had attacked his house.
According to the report, Jagri, in 2003 desirous of travelling to Europe to seek greener pastures, was introduced to Dr Aryeh by one Louis, the Secretary of the Kokomba Market branch of the NDC.
Dr Aryeh was said to have demanded 1 million cedis from Jagri Johnson after convincing him that he (Josiah) was capable of securing him ((Jagri) a visa to Europe, to commence the visa acquisition process.
“I gave him 1 million cedis together with one goat and a quantity of yams to Dr Aryeh at the party headquarters in the presence of Louis”, Johnson reportedly stated, adding, “he then asked me to come and see him in three days time”.
Upon seeing Dr Aryeh, Johnson was asked to come and stay with him (Dr Aryeh) in his houses as a house boy “so that when the opportunity comes, it will be easier to help me”.
Dr Aryeh is reported to have told Johnson that, as a General Secretary, he normally travelled outside the country, so he could easily add his (Johnson’s) name and secure visa for him at any of the European embassies, “when he is about to travel”.
Johnson, upon consultation with his family, was said to have moved in to stay with Aryeh. He, however, declined to accept payment for the services he rendered in the house in anticipation that he would eventually get a visa to travel abroad.
“At one time, Mr Aryeh travelled to Brazil and on his return, I asked him of my travel and he told me to bring ten million cedis before he can help me”, stated Johnson in a petition to the CID boss.
According to him, he went to his parents at Wulensi in the northern part of the country and managed to get the 10 million cedis. To this amount, he attached his passport, as directed, and sent them to Dr Aryeh’s office at Legon.
Johnson also at one time was sent by Dr Aryeh to one Mr Torgbe at the party offices, to make a photocopy of his (Aryeh’s) passport that contained an American visa.
“After Torgbe made two photocopies, I took one and gave one and the original passport back to Dr Aryeh”, Johnson stated in his petition.
According to him, after waiting for years without result of his visa, he approached Dr Aryeh, in the company of Louis, for his 11 million cedis.
“To our surprise, Josiah Aryeh told us, I did not give him any money so we left”, Johnson said.
“Two weeks later, in March this year”, Johnson noted, “Dr Aryeh called me on my cell phone no….. to come to his house on Sunday so that we settle the matter”.
According to him, he informed one Apperke, an NDC party worker, at the party headquarters who helped him to acquire his passport, about Josiah Aryeh’s invitation, “and he advised me to go and listen to what he has to tell me”.
Johnson said he went to Aryeh’s house in the company of one Abu. The former NDC Gen. Sec according to Johnson, organised the police of East Legon police station to arrest him and Abu under the pretext that they were armed robbers.
He said ever since he presented his statement to the East Legon Police, “I heard nothing from the police. The Inspector in charge only told me that he has sent the case to his boss at Legon”.
Johnson in his petition, appealed to the CID boss to ensure that the truth and justice are established in this matter.
He stressed that he was never an armed robber and had served for two years as a house boy in Aryeh’s house without pay in anticipation that he would get a visa to work in any European country”.
“The fact is that Dr Aryeh used his office as the General Secretary of the NDC and defrauded me of 11 million cedis under the pretext of acquiring a visa for me to travel outside the country”, stated Johnson, adding, “to date he has failed to honour his promise.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Amoah of the Police CID Headquarters, when contacted, confirmed that his outfit had received a petition from Jagri concerning the alleged visa fraud by Dr Aryeh.
Investigations revealed that the petition had been copied to the President, the Ministers for Interior, National Security and the Inspector General of Police and the current General Secretary of the NDC.
It has become apparent that most officials at the NDC Headquarters had been aware of this matter for sometime now.
Efforts to reach Josiah Aryeh for his side of the story had proved futile.
