Visa fraudster granted GH¢200,000 bail

A 57-year old trader in Kumasi, arrested for visa fraud, has been granted GH¢200,000 bail by a Kumasi Circuit Court.

Kingsley Ntiamoah is standing trial for duping 69 people to the tune of GH¢132,145.00, under the pretext of securing Canadian and Australian visas for them.

He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on grounds of poor health to re-appear on, Monday, March 8.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Doris Amewu, told the Court presided over by Mr D.W.P Amedior that, the victims are all resident in Kumasi.

She said Ntiamoah, last year, led them to believe that he had a contract with some Canadian and Australian-based companies and could get them visas to work in the two countries.

He succeeded in collecting from the victims various amounts of money.

The accused later summoned them to a meeting at the Roman Girls School at Ash-Town, where he promised to fulfill his part of the deal.

ASP Amewu said Ntiamoah from that time vacated his office and left his Kumasi residency and went into hiding at Kwamang near Offinso.

Anytime the victims managed to reach him on phone, the accused lied that he was either in Abidjan, La Cote d’ Ivoire, or Kenya, busily working on their travel documents.

The victims became suspicious at a point and made a formal complaint to the police, leading to his arrest.

A search of his room at Buokrom in Kumasi uncovered 55 Ghanaian passports belonging to some of the victims, Australian medical forms with passport pictures, complimentary cards and other visa related documents.

Ntiamoah in his caution statement admitted the offence and blamed his partner in Abidjan for the failure of the deal.

Source: GNA