Accra, May 19, GNA - Three unemployed Nigerians who allegedly forged documents of an Accra based law firm, used an Accra High court seal and names of Supreme Court Judges to defraud the public on the internet on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. Kingsley Ikechukwu, Felix Eyakovie and Wilson Okemu, pleaded not guilty to attempting to commit crime and forgery of documents. Ikechukwu is also facing an additional charge of impersonation. The court presided over by Mrs Ivy Heward-Mills admitted them to 50,000 Ghana cedis bail with a surety each to be justified. Sureties are to provide passport size pictures to the court's registry. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) George Abavelim said the complainant Bernard Owusu-Twumasi is a legal practitioner with Oak House Law Firm based in Accra while accused persons reside at La an Accra suburb.
Prosecution said accused persons have been using complainants' law firm and other law firms to defraud unsuspecting people. He said they created a website and used the firm's website address on the internet demanding 6.4 million dollars from victims to collect monies on their behalf and pay them back with interest. The prosecution said the accused persons further created a bank account and paid monies from the victims into it. He said on April 26, this year, complainant found a hard copy of an e-mail purported to have originated from his law firm, which had been sent by the accused persons to victims with the view of collecting various sums of money from them.
Prosecution said Ikechukwu assumed the name Nana Elvis Cada and posed as a lawyer with Oak House Law Firm. ASP Abavelim said the complainant alerted the police and discreet investigations led to their arrest. He said further investigations revealed that the accused person have been using an Accra High Court seal and other important document of the Judiciary by using the name of Supreme Court Judges including that of the Chief Justice to defraud people.
