Court grants bail to Ghana Police recruitment scam suspects
An Accra Circuit Court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh on Monday granted Alifa Adams and Joseph Awuni Seidu, two key suspects in the recent police recruitment scam, bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 each with two sureties.
One of the two sureties should be a top public servant, who earns not less than GH₵1,500.
The two were charged for conspiracy to commit crime, and defrauding by false pretences, together with five other persons, who were granted bail last Friday.
They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and would re-appear on Monday, April 13.
The Judge ordered that all the accused persons should report to the Police twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
He warned that the case before the court has not started, so both prosecution and defence counsels should refrain from entering into the merits of the matter.
Mr Victor Kojogah Adawudu, a counsel for one of the accused persons, prayed the court that the prosecution should not prosecute the accused persons based on public opinion, which the judge obliged.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery told the court that since the last sitting, there was a very big turn-around concerning the case, which the court needed to know.
He said investigation led to the setting up of a committee by the police administration.
He said they have completed the investigation and submitted the report to the Police Administration, but with the turn-around of events, investigations are on-going.
DSP Dery prayed for an adjournment, by which time prosecution would have come properly to commence the trial.
Presenting the facts to the court, he said complainant in the case is a police officer.
He said following numerous reports of enlistment fraud into the Ghana Police Service, the Police Administration put up measures to arrest the perpetrators by informing all officers to be alert.
He said on December, 24, last year, following intelligence gathered the Ayisha Boku Asumda, Joshua Palba and Wuni Salinko were arrested, when they were in the process of collecting balance of money from their victim, after issuing him with a forged enlistment form and an appointment letter.
The Prosecution said a search was immediately conducted at Ayisha’s house and cash in the sum of GH₵ 58,888 and several forged police enlistment application forms were found.
“When questioned about the forms, Ayisha, who is the architect of the recruitment fraud, claimed the forms were given to her by Awuni, whose whereabouts are not known.
He said Ayisha in her statement admitted collecting monies ranging from GH₵4,000 to GH₵7,000 from about 30 people, totalling GH₵ 1.2 million, and issued them with enlistment application forms all with the same serial number.
DSP Dery told the court that these victims were to report to the National Police Training School on January 31 for their training.
He said on January 2, Salinko, who has been on the run, was spotted at Kwame Nkumah circle by one of the victims and raised an alarm and he was arrested to assist in investigations.
He alleged that Salinko admitted in his caution statement to have collected money from 18 victims amounting to GH₵63,000 and had since refunded GH₵11,950.
“He, further confirm knowing Awuni as part of the syndicate,” he added.
The prosecution said while investigations were still in progress, the Police arrested A5 a member of the syndicate also at Kwame Nkrumah Circle on January 24, having invited victims to Accra from Bolga and other parts of the country to report for medicals at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He said the purported medical was supposed to be done on January, 26 on the instructions of Ayisha and Awuni.
He said in his caution statement, the accused person admitted collecting money from 70 people and paying to Ayisha and Awuni.
He said on February 27, Abasa, who upon his arrest at Tesano was identified as Alifa, during investigation, he admitted having connived with Awuni to produce the fake enlistment forms and also the beneficiary to the monies involved.
He said on Feburary 28, Alifa was granted police inquiry bail to report on March 3 but jumped bail until, he saw his photograph being published on the front page before he reported himself with his lawyer.
On March 13, Awuni, who has been on the police wanted list since December 2014 was arrested, when he was lured to come and collect money by one of his agents.
Source: GNA