Man arrested with 220m fake cedis

With barely two months for the new Ghana Cedi to come into circulation, counterfeit dealers are panic-stricken and desperate to get rid of their stock before the use of the current currency expires.

On the other hand, bank workers are also being warned to be extra vigilant. Thus, but for the vigilance of a bank official at the Adum branch of the Bank of Ghana in Kumasi, Yakubu Guruma, 23, would have, allegedly, succeeded in depositing an amount of ¢220 million into the bank on Monday.

Guruma was arrested by operatives of the Bureau for National Investigation when he allegedly attempted to deposit the fake currency, which were in ¢10,000 and ¢20,000 denominations, into the bank with the purported connivance of the bank official, who feigned interest in the transaction only to notify the BNI.

When Guruma was questioned, he reportedly mentioned one Alhaji Bawa, from Accra, as being the main man. According to the BNI, the suspect said that Alhaji Bawa was monitoring the progress of the transaction from the sidelines and bolted when the arrest was made.

When the BNI got to the hotel where Alhaji Bawa was suspected to be staying at Suame, two young men, Jibril Tanko and Prince Gyan, were found in the hotel room. They claimed to be his guests from Swedru.

The two, who were also suspected to be dealing in pornographic materials found on them, were also arrested and detained for further investigations.

The case has since been handed over to the police for the suspects to be arraigned before the court.

Meanwhile a search is under way to arrest Bawa who is on the run.