Tutor granted bail for defrauding by false pretence

A Senior High School Tutor in Cape Coast, Emmanuel Owusu Mintah, has been arraigned before the Winneba District Magistrate’s Court charged with defrauding by false pretences and forgery of documents.

Owusu Mintah, 28, who lives in Cape Coast, pleaded not guilty to the charges and the Court, presided over by Mr Charles Ohenewa Kufuor, granted him bail in the sum of GH¢20,000.00 with two sureties.

The case was adjourned to Thursday, January 28, for hearing.

Police Inspector Dorinda Azumah, prosecuting, told the court that the accused person succeeded in defrauding two teachers under the Nation Builders Corp (NABCO) to the tune of GH¢19,400.00.

Miss Harriet Sarkodie and Miss Alice Adayugah, the complainants, reside at Gomoa Pomadze near Winneba.

Prosecution said sometime in December, last year, Agnes Adantwi, a friend, introduced Ms Sarkodie to the accused person to assist her to get appointment at the Ghana Education Service(GES).

Prosecutor said Ms Sarkodie developed interested and collected the accused person’s contact number and later informed Ms Adayugah about the employment opportunity.

He said both complaints reached the accused on his mobile phone of which he assured to secure them permanent employment and demanded GHc2,000.00 from them to facilitate the process.

Prosecution said the accused person initially took GH¢800.00 from the complainants as processing fee and promised to give them appointment letters within two to three weeks.

Owusu Mintah forwarded the purported appointment letters to them through WhatsApp, using MTN number 0243156093, after which the balance of GH¢2,400.00 each were paid to him through the same MTN number.

Inspector Azumah said Ms Adayugah, on receiving the purported appointment letter, became convinced and introduced her six other colleagues to the accused, who also showed interest, and parted with cash totalling 2,800.00 each through Ms Adayugah, who transferred the money to the accused person’s MTN number and GCB Bank account, UCC branch.

The prosecutor said Owusu Mintah asked the complainants to print out the letters from their phones and send them to Central Regional Head Office of the GES in Cape Coast.

The complainants did as the accused directed but were informed by the Regional Human Resource Officer that their names were not on the list and were asked to check from the Head Office where it was revealed that their letters were forged.

The complaints informed the accused person about the development and demanded the refund of their monies but all effort to retrieve the monies failed, based on which they reported the matter to the police.

In his cautioned statement, the accused admitted having received cash from the complaints to secure appointment for them but said he also forwarded the said amount to one Nana Yaw Appiah and John Mensah, officers at the GES Headquarters.

Inspector Azumah said during their investigations the accused was asked to assist the police to locate the said Appiah and Mensah but he told the police that he did not know them personally as he only communicated with them online.