Accra, June 28, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court has granted Edmund Nii Okai GHS100,000.00 bail with two sureties, one to be justified with title deeds, over jobs and visa fraud.
Joseph Quaye and Samuel Koranteng, his accomplices, were also granted GHS100,000.00 and GHS60,000.00 bail, respectively, for allegedly abetting Attoh to defraud six persons of GHS41,500.00, under the pretext of securing them or their families jobs or visa.
Attoh has denied defrauding the victims of amounts ranging from GHS3,000.00 and GHS13,000.00.
The Court ordered that Koranteng and Quaye, who denied abetting Attoh, should get three sureties, each.
Two of Koranteng’s sureties should be public servants whilst two of Quaye’s sureties should be justified.
The prosecution was ordered by the Court to file and serve witness statements to the accused persons by July 15, 2022, two days before the next adjournment.
Police Chief Inspector John Gohoho told the Court that Koranteng, 37 was unemployed, Quaye, 33, a computer technician, whereas Attoh, 30 was a shop attendant.
He said Joana Nettey, a civil servant, Dorothy Yeboah, unemployed, Shirley Naa Ayeley Tagoe, Customs officer, Isaac Nunoo, airline security officer, Abigail Andrea-Gerbah Prentica, unemployed and Daniel Allotey, a banker, were the complainants.
They lived at Mamprobi and its environs where Koranteng and Quaye also lived, and Attoh lived at James Town.
Chief Inspector Gohoho said a witness, in this case, Rudolf Nii Okaija Tagoe is a Customs officer and a friend to Koranteng and in February 2022, Koranteng called the witness on phone to inform him that he had a friend (Attoh) who worked with the Director of Operations at the Presidency, who could help secure jobs for people but before getting the job, one had to pay money.
The prosecution said he told the witness that Attoh had assisted about nine people to be enlisted in Ghana Immigration Service and Ghana Revenue Authority.
The Court heard that he had also secured jobs for people at the Bank of Ghana and visas for other people to travel using the office of the President.
Chief Inspector Gohoho said a witness who got convinced was introduced to Attoh by Koranteng, who also informed Joana, Dorothy, Shirley, Isaac and Abigail, who showed interest.
The prosecution said Joana wanted to work at the COCOBOD so she paid GHS4,000.00 to Attoh and furtherance to that she paid GHS4,500.00 each on behalf of her brother and husband to be enlisted into the Ghana Immigration Service and Ghana Revenue Authority, respectively.
In all, she paid GHS3,000.00 to Attoh via his mobile money account number whilst Dorothy who wanted to work with Ghana Immigration Service paid GHS5,500.00 to Attoh, Shirley paid GHS6,500.00 for her husband to work at COCOBOD.
He said on April 04, 2022, Isaac and the witness met Attoh at James Town, where Attoh promised to secure a visa for him to travel to the United States of America.
Attoh then collected GHS4,000.00 from Isaac to start the visa process and Abigail who wanted to work at the Bank of Ghana, paid GHS3,000.00 to Attoh, he said.
The prosecution said in February 2022, Attoh again was introduced to Daniel Allotey, who wanted a job for his wife and Attoh promised to get a job for his wife at Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority at GHS9,500.00 of which the complainant paid part in the presence of Koranteng and the rest sent to him via mobile money.
The prosecution said after taking monies from the complainants, they later found out he had no connection with the Director of Operations at the Presidency and could not keep his part of the bargain, thus, they caused his arrest and that of Koranteng.
During the investigation, Koranteng told police that he got to know Attoh through Quaye, thus, he was arrested.
Investigation revealed that Quaye has been introducing Attoh to people as someone who can secure jobs in the government sector for them and they got duped and that about two years ago, Attoh was arrested by the Mamprobi Police when he defrauded some people in a similar manner and it was Quaye who introduced him to the people, the Court heard.
In January 2022, Quaye who was bent on helping Attoh to continue with his duping spree, liaised with Koranteng to introduce the complainants in this case to Attoh, Chief Inspector Gohoho said.
The prosecution said Attoh used part of the GHS41,500.00 used to renovate his room and the rest on personal effects.
After investigations, the accused persons were arraigned.
GNA