They represented themselves, firstly as gold dealers and secondly as officials of the Government Review Board, to allegedly defraud one Alan Brain Collin of a total sum of £40,000.00.

Wayne Amadu and Derrick Arkoh , both traders, forged documents and impersonated the President of the Republic of Ghana, Director-General of Police in charge of Legal and Prosecution, Commission of Police (COP) Nathan Kofi Boakye and Managing Director of Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), Dr John Kofi Mensah to defraud Mr Collin, who is domiciled in the United Kingdom.

Although the crime is said to have been perpetrated by some seven persons, Wayne Amadu, 32 years and Derrick, 29, have been arrested and put before the law court.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Eric Pobee, the other five persons identified as Wayne and Derrick accomplices are Murphin Adusei, Ransford Oppong, Evans Quophi Karikari, Oxford Israel Nwasu and Kelvin Ochiagha Izuchukwu.

Interestingly, Derrick is said to have used the proceeds that was gotten out of crime to build for himself, a 4-bedroom storey building at Pakyi No.2 in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

Reading the brief facts to the an Accra Circuit Court presided over by His Honour, Mr Emmanuel Essandoh, indicated that the five are at large and efforts were being made to locate and apprehend them.

Meanwhile, Wayne and Derrick had been slapped with 15 charges, which include conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretence, forgery of official documents and money laundry, but they all pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Hitherto, the facts as presented in court by Inspector Eric Pobee, stated the complainant in the case, as one Oduro Asamoah Clinton as the son of the victim who lives in the United Kingdom.

According to him, the accused persons established contact with their unexpected victim on social media, somewhere in 2016.

The accused persons- Oxford Israel Nwasu and Kelvin Ochiagha Izuchukwu – were said to have been the first among the group to have contacted and introduced themselves as gold dealers in Ghana to Mr Collin.

Their further engagement led to Mr Collin establishment of trust with them.

However, unknowing to Mr Collin, his established contact actual intent, expressed interest in purchasing12 kilogrammes of gold, of which he was convinced to pay cash of £25,000.00.

Oxford and Kelvin lured their victim that they were going to have the gold shipped to him be Alxa Shipping Company.

To further to proof themselves worthy of trust, produced the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (former Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Services) Form A and Waybill to support their claims.

While the victim was coming to a realisation he had been defrauded, the other group showed up and introduced themselves officials of the Government Review Board and had been tasked to safe the situation.

To add insults into injuries, this other group posed themselves the first gentleman of the land, President Akufo-Addo, COP Kofi Boakye and MG of ADB, Dr John Kofi Mensah.

The fraudsters were said to have given assurance to Mr Collin of the government commitment to refund the money.

And, to achieve this, fraudsters forged receipt of $45,000.00 deposited in ADB account for onwards transfer into the victim’s HSBC account in the United Kingdom.

After succeeding in deceiving him, they promised to help him purchase the gold he had wanted to trade with the other group.

Wayne, Derrick and co, sent uniform pictures of COP Kofi Boakye, letters and ADB transfer slip to the victim and by doing so, parted away with another £15,000.00.

Mr Collin after finally coming into realisation of been defrauded alerted his son who is based in Ghana and he also lodged a complainant with the Nungua Police.

The police, through intelligence gathering, caused the arrest of Wayne and Derrick.

“They both admitted to receipt of money from the victim into the mobile and Fidelity Bank account,” he said. “Whereas, accused Derrick Arkoh used his to construct four bedroom storey building situated at Pakyi, a suburb of Kumasi.”

Inspector Pobee told the police are vigorously hunting for the rest of the suspects.

 By Akutu Dede Adimer