Samuel Koranteng, 37 and unemployed, and Edmund Nii Okai Attoh, 30 and Shop attendant, had been put before an Accra Circuit Court on for allegedly defrauding about six persons.

Koranteng and Attoh are alleged to have defrauded Joana Nettey, Dorothy Yeboah, unemployed, Shirley Naa Ayeley Tagoe, Customs officer, Isaac Nunoo, airline security officer, Abigail Andrea-Gerbah Prentica, unemployed and Daniel Allotey, a banker, with the promised to use their contact at the Presidency to secure them jobs and travelling opportunities.

A brief fact read by Chief Inspector John Gohoho to the court presided over by Evelyn Asamoah yesterday are that the accused persons and complainants all live at Mamprobi and James Town in Accra.

Chief Inspector Gohoho narrated to the court that Koranteng (A1) who is friends with Rudolf Nii Okaija Tagoe, a Customs officer and witness in the case, was informed by the latter that he has a genuine friend that is Attoh (A2), who works with the Director of Operations at the Presidency.

He said Attoh could help secure jobs for people but before getting the job one has to pay money and that A2 has assisted about nine people to be enlisted into the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to him, Attoh has also secured jobs for people at the Bank of Ghana as well as visa for other people to travel using the Office of the Presidency.

He said the witness having been convinced, was introduced to Attoh by Koranteng and by which, the witness also informed the complainants – Joana Nettey, Dorothy Yeboah, Shirley Naa Ayeley Tagoe, Isaac Nunoo, and Abigail Andrea-Gerbah Prentica – and they also developed interest.

Thus, Joana who wanted to work at COCOBOD (Ghana Cocoa Board), paid GH¢4, 000.00 to Attoh and in furtherance to that, she paid Gh¢9,000 on behalf of her brother and husband, so as they are enlisted into GIS and GRA respectively.

In all, she paid a total of GHC13, 000.00 to Attoh via his mobile money account number 0552533365.

The prosecuting officer added that Dorothy who also wanted to work with the GIS also paid GHC5, 500.00 to Attoh.

Shirley transferred a total of GH¢6,500.00 on 1st and 5th of April, 2022 to Attoh via his mobile money account number, 0552533365, for him to secure her husband job at the COCOBOD.

The prosecutor said on April 4, 2022,  Isaac and the witness met A2 at James Town, where Attoh promised to secure visa for him to travel to the United States of America because of his working relation with the Director of Operations at the Presidency.

Attoh demanded and collected GH¢4, 000.00 from Isaac to start the visa process.

Abigail also paid GHC3,000.00 to Attoh on the 05/04/202 because she wanted to work at Bank of Ghana.

In the month of February, 2022, Koranteng again introduced A2 to Daniel who wanted a job for his wife, and as usual Attoh allegedly promised to get her a job at the Ghana Ports and Harbour, if he pays him GH¢9, 500.00. 

He said Daniel made part payment to A2 in the presence and the rest sent via mobile money.

The prosecutor said after A2 had taken all these monies from the complainants, never delivered on the promise but kept on changing dates for their appointment letters to be issued.

He stated that the accused then became suspicion and alarmed: “They did some background checks and realised all that A2 said were untrue. On April 8, 2022, a report was lodged at the Mamprobi Police Station and the accused persons were arrested.”

The prosecutor said investigation revealed that A2 has no working relation with any government official or the institutions mentioned.

It was also discovered that Attoh used part of monies collected from the complainants to renovate his room and the rest on his personal effects.

He told the court that in all, A2 demanded and collected a total of GHC41, 500.00 from the complainants but failed to secure the jobs and visa as promised.

The accused have pleaded not guilty to the offences – abetment to commit crime, defrauding by false pretence.

The court gave Koranteng bail of GHC60,000 with three sureties, two to be public officers and Attoh, GHC60,000 with three sureties to be justified.

Case adjourned to May 12, 2022.