Nautical engineer jailed 60 days over visa fraud

A 56-year-old nautical engineer has been sentenced to 60 days imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court for fraud.

Richie Susu Awu was sentenced after he was found guilty on three counts of defrauding by false pretences at the end of the trial.

The court sentenced Awu to 60 days on each count. Sentences are to run concurrently.

Awu is said to have collected GhC86,000 from three persons under the pretence of securing them German visas in 2021 but failed.

The trial judge, Mr Isaac Addo, said he took into consideration the fact that the accused was a first-time offender and had paid GHC30,000 to the three complainants.

“However, the court looked at the ascendency of visa fraud cases within its jurisdiction and the premeditated way the accused executed his plan,” he said.

The prosecution called five witnesses to establish a case against Awu, who did not call any witness after testifying himself.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, told the court that the complainants resided at Sefwi while the accused resided at Pokuase in Accra.

The first complainant was Jackson Mensah, a Mobile Money agent; the second, Ernest Opoku, was a farmer; and the third, Kwarteng Kwasi Cyprin, unemployed.

In October 2021, Mensah discussed with his brother-in-law, Kenneth Biney, that he wanted to travel abroad.

Biney linked up with one Baffour, who also introduced Awu to the complainants as someone who could assist them in securing travel documents to travel to Germany.

The prosecution said through phone conversations, the complainants moved from Sefwi to Accra and met Awu at Achimota.

During their meetings, Awu showed them some visas he claimed to have secured for other people.

The complainants became convinced, and Awu charged fees of GHC24,000, GHC24,000 and GHC30,400, respectively, with the assurance that he would secure them the German visas within three weeks.

Awu failed to honour his promise and kept assuring them that “everything will be fine.”

On February 25, 2022, Awu took the complainants to Kotoka International Airport (KIA) and told them that they were to depart to Germany.

After moving around for some time, Awu informed them that they were late for the flight, so he had to book another flight for them on another day.

Chief Inspector Lawer said the complainants became suspicious and reported the case to the police. On March 4, 2022, Awu was arrested.

In his caution statement, he admitted having collected money from the complainant but failed to secure the visas for them.

Awu was granted police enquiry bail on the same day, but he failed to cooperate with the police, and he also jumped bail.

The prosecution said the Regional Criminal Investigations, Accra, received information that Awu had been arrested for a similar offence at the Tesano Police Station.