Missing GSTS student faked his own kidnapping to extort money from parents - Police

The police in the Western Region have arrested a teenager who they say faked his own kidnapping to extort money from his family.

De-Vreeze Quaynoo, an 18-year-old final-year student of the Ghana Secondary Technical Senior High School (GSTS), conspired with some friends to demand a ransom of GH¢9000 from his parents.

He disappeared last Wednesday, according to the Senior Housemaster of GSTS, Mr Bernard Adu Ampako, after he sought for permission to leave campus.

Adu Ampako said he was reported kidnapped by unknown caller and had subsequently informed the police.

But the police in Secondi-Takoradi say De-Vreeze faked his own kidnapping following investigations.

According to the Metropolitan Police Crime Officer, Superintendent Alhaji Musah Hussein Awinaba, Daniel, an accomplice, and De-Vreeze bought and registered a new SIM car for their kidnap claim.

They placed a call to De-Vreeze's parents to inform them that he has been kidnapped and the assailants were demanding a ransom of GH¢9000.

He said investigators were immediately sent to gather intelligence during which they found that the victim was with some of his friends in a house around the Takoradi Secondary School (TADISCO).

The investigators found De-vreeze’s school uniform in the house. Asked how the uniform got there, the landlady told the police that De-vreeze and the other alleged accomplices, namely Osei-Prempeh, Daniel and Evelyn, visited her son, Elijah Sam, the previous night and stayed until 10 p.m. when she asked them to go back home.

The landlady said although they left, they returned to her son the following morning with an explanation that they were there to study, the Daily Graphic report further noted.

The metropolitan crime officer said Osei-Prempeh, one of the students allegedly involved in planning the fake kidnapping story, was confronted and out of panic revealed the plot and offered to show them where De-Vreeze could be found.

He said upon interrogation, De-Vreeze confessed that he capitalised on the recent kidnapping incidents in order to extort money from his parents to purchase some ink to print fake currency.