Unemployed man arrested over alleged police recruitment scam

A 33-year-old unemployed man, who allegedly collected GH¢65,739 under the guise of recruiting two people into the Ghana Police Service, has appeared in court on charges of fraud.

Emmanuel Ofori Ansong is being held on a charge of defrauding by false pretense.

Ansong, who had no legal representation, pleaded not guilty before the Dansoman Circuit Court.

The court, presided over by Halima EL-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, granted Ansong bail in the sum of GH¢70,000 with three sureties, one to be justified.

Two of the sureties are required to be public servants earning GH¢2,000.

According to the court, the accused was also required to deposit a copy of his Ghana Card with the court’s registry.

The matter was adjourned to May 6, for the prosecution to file witness statements and disclosures.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder and Inspector Esther Mensah, opposed the grant of bail to the accused.

They argued that the accused might not appear in court when granted bail and could compromise police investigations in another matter concerning him.

According to the prosecution, its submission was not meant to prejudice the court’s mind but to present the “facts.”

The prosecution submitted that the complainant, Benjamin Otchere Amo, is a farmer from Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region, while the accused, Ansong, 33, is an unemployed person living in a family house in Bubuashie.

The prosecution stated that in November 2023, there were rumors of some Youth Employment Agency personnel being recruited into the Ghana Police Service.

The court heard that the complainant was introduced to Ansong as a National Youth Employment Agency (YEA) personnel who could assist him with recruitment.

The court was told that the accused contacted the complainant and, following their engagement, demanded money to start the process, to which the complainant gave GH¢1,000 each for himself and his elder brother as requested by the accused.

The prosecution said Ansong demanded more money under the pretext of creating new Y.E.A numbers and buying forms for the complainant and his brother, all of which were untrue, but they paid.

When Ansong realized the complainant could pay any amount he requested, he began making numerous demands for varying sums of money for his personal use.

According to the prosecution, Ansong informed the complainant that his brother was qualified for the Senior Police Officer position and requested a payment of GH¢10,000 if interested. The complainant subsequently made payments to the accused’s MTN cellphone number, 0545411049.

After some weeks, Ansong called the complainant again and told him that his brother should submit his HND certificate for the Senior Officer Rank, which he did not have.

The court heard that Ansong told the complainant that he could assist him in obtaining one from Pentecost University for GH¢10,000, which the complainant paid in installments through mobile money vendors to the accused’s number.

Ansong continued to make demands for various sums of money in the name of “settling” his directors to expedite the process.

As a result, Ansong took GH¢65,739 from the complainant and his brother under the guise of assisting them in getting recruited into the Ghana Police Service.

The prosecution said the complainant realized after some time that he was being scammed when he saw no results.

The prosecution said on April 3, 2024, the complainant went to Ansong’s house, but upon seeing him, the accused jumped a wall and fled.

The prosecution said the complainant then reported the issue to the Korle-Bu Police, and on April 22, 2024, Ansong returned to the neighbourhood and was arrested by some good Samaritans and handed over to the police.

Ansong, in his investigation caution statement, admitted to the offence.