NADMO officer, teacher before court over recruitment fraud

An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GH¢26,000.00 bail with two sureties each to a NADMO officer and a teacher for allegedly defrauding a man of GH¢25,500.00 under the pretext of enlisting his family and friends into the Ghana National Fire Service and other security services.

Kofi Arhin Ghansah, alias Fiifi, 48, NADMO officer was charged for defrauding by false pretence, whilst Samuel Ashong, alias Paa Nii, 46, teacher charged for abetment of crime.

Both of them pleaded not guilty to the charges.

They are to make their next appearance on November 13.

Police Inspector Samuel Ahiabor told the Court presided over by Mrs Ruby Nash Aryeetey that Mr Samuel Paa Kwesi Bentil is the complainant in the case.

He said Bentil and Ghansah are personnel of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) whereas Ashong is a trained teacher. The accused persons are friends.

In 2014, Ashong informed Ghansah about the various enlistment in the security services which he said he could help recruit people through one Mark Asafo Adjei, then a fire officer.

Prosecution said Ghansah convinced his colleague, Bentil he had slots and that he should bring his family and friends to be enlisted, adding that he would take GH¢2,500.00 per head.

Inspector Ahiabor said Ghansah also asked that those who could not pay at a goal to make part payment and later pay the rest.

Bentil, convinced by it brought a list of 26 people in addition to GH¢25,500.00 as well as their certificates and other document to start with the recruitment process, the Prosecutor said.

He said Ghansah after collecting the money failed to honour his part of the Bargain and several efforts made to retrieve the money proved futile, thus, a report was made to the police.

Inspector Ahiabor said he was arrested and he mentioned Ashong as his accomplice as he gave him GH¢12,000.00 which he also admitted taking.

During investigation, Ashong refunded GH¢11,000.00 and after investigations, they were arraigned.

Mr Yaw Dankwa, their lawyer in praying for bail stated that the case was put before another court but was struck out because it lacked merit but the police re-arrested his clients, added extra charges and re-arraigned them.

Prosecution, he said, changed the investigator because it realised it had no case. He therefore prayed the Court to subpoena the first investigator.

He told the Court that the clients were not flight risks, they had good jobs and had worked long enough to get to where they were now, they also had people of substance to stand as sureties, adding that compliant wanted them dismissed.