A 38-year-old man, Francis Asare, who was mistakenly declared wanted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), has spoken about his ordeal and is appealing for compensation.
According to Francis, he first became aware of the situation on July 24, 2024, after a friend called and asked him to check social media, where he discovered that he had been listed as wanted.
Speaking in an interview on Crime Check TV, Francis recounted that he voluntarily reported himself to the police at Adenta to clarify the issue.
He explained that he later visited the OSP office with his uncle, where he met the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng.
“When we entered the office, Kissi Agyebeng started begging me even before we sat down. He explained that it was a corruption case involving someone with the name Francis Asare. They went to Fidelity Bank but did not include the account number, so when they retrieved the file, they picked up my details instead,” he said.
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Francis, who deals in Chinese doors, said the incident has had a severe impact on his life and livelihood. He noted that although the Special Prosecutor advised him to reach out if he encountered difficulties at work, the damage had already been done.
He further revealed that the situation affected his mental health, leading to distress that required attention at Pantang Hospital.
Francis added that although his brother considered pursuing legal action against the OSP, the high cost of legal fees has made it difficult.
Francis was among three individuals Anthony Gyasi and Sadia Alhassan declared wanted by the OSP in July 2024 over alleged corruption-related offences, including bribery and abuse of public office for profit.
However, after presenting himself to the police, he was informed that he was not the person being sought. Officials attributed the error to incorrect information allegedly provided by a bank.
Despite being cleared, Francis says he lost his job shortly after the public notice and continues to suffer the consequences.
“I was afraid when I saw the post, so I went there myself. They told me it was a mistake and I was not the person. But I have lost my job and I am going through a lot.”
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