Self-styled Journalist charged with fraud

A self-Styled Journalist Joseph Ofosu aka Nartey based in Koforidua has appeared before the Kaneshie District Court charged with three counts of defrauding by false pretenses.

Ofosu used the name of Mr Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency to swindle three persons under the pretext of securing a job and auction vehicles.

Ofosu allegedly collected GHC2, 500.00 from Yusif Shafu under the pretext of nominating him as District Chief Executive for Sene West; collected GHC1, 000.00 and GHC2, 000.00 from one Alhaji Musah Mohammed and Osei Adiyah, respectively under the intent of obtaining auctioned vehicles for them.

Ofosu has pleaded not guilty, thereafter the court presided over by Ms. Rosemond Dodua Agyiri admitted him to bail in the sum of GHC10,000.00 with three sureties to reappear on February 11.

Prosecuting Inspector Isaac Anquandah told the court that, Mr Arhin, Director of Communications to the President was the complainant.

Inspector Anquandah said in August 2019, Mr Arhin reported to the Bureau of National Investigations that some persons were using his name in defrauding some individuals under the pretext of securing them cars, appointing or nominating them as Metropolitan, Municipal, District Chief Executives (MMDCE’s) who would be affected by the President’s impending reshuffles.

Prosecution said the scammers then asked their victims to pay money on four mobile money accounts numbers, some of which belonged to his girlfriend.

The prosecutor said in the process, Ofosu was nabbed and investigations showed that he received some monies sent to his girlfriend’s phone number after the said girlfriend had cashed the monies.

Prosecution said the accused person targeted officials of the New Patriotic Party and conducted his mobile money business at three different places within Koforidua.