Man lies he is a Catholic priest and dupes orphanage

Duayaw-Nkwanta (B/A), Aug. 20, GNA - A 36-year-old man who claimed he was a Catholic priest on has defrauded "Mums Love Rural Orphanage" at Duayaw-Nkwanta of GHC 350.

Mr. Imoro Adams, Director of the orphanage, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sunyani that on Wednesday Alfred Yeboah presented himself at the orphanage as a Catholic priest residing in Britain and was in Ghana to visit his sick mother at Jema. Yeboah claimed a colleague in Britain had given him (Yeboah) used clothing and other items to be presented to the orphanage and demanded GHC 850 as the travelling expenses on the items.

Mr Adams said before Yeboah's arrival he had received several foreign calls and the caller who mentioned his name as Opoku Kwasi told him he was in Britain and that he was a native of Duayaw-Nkwanta. He said the caller told him he (Kwasi) had sent some items made up of used clothing, toys and GHC 5,000 through a Catholic priest to be presented to the orphanage.

The Director said because of the discussions he had with Opoku Kwasi on phone, management of the orphanage did not suspect any foul play "so we gave him GHC 350 as part payment and asked him to come for the rest of the money in three days' time".

After he (Yeboah) had left we opened the baggage and found it to contain sawdust so they made a report to the police. Mr. Adams said police investigations revealed that there was one Opoku Kwasi who used to work at the Duayaw-Nkwanta office of the Ghana National Fire Service but now lives in Britain.

He said when the police contacted Opoku Kwasi on phone he denied knowing anything about the issue.