Court remands businessman in police custody over GH¢289,000 recruitment scam
A 25-year-old businessman has been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court over a GH¢289,400.00 recruitment scam.
Justice Mensah has denied defrauding Mr Bernard Wellington, Madam Catherine Konadu and Mr Kwaku Acquah.
He will make his next appearance on April 7.
Police Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah told the Court that the complainants were Mr Wellington a teacher residing at Odobeng, Madam Konadu also a teacher residing at Takoradi and Mr Ackah unemployed resided at Tarkwa.
He said Mensah, the accused person, was a self-acclaimed businessman residing at Adenta.
Prosecution said in January 2021, the accused person dressed in military uniform informed his family members and friends, including Kwasi Abbam and Eric Oppong that he was a military officer and had protocol slots to recruit young people who were interested to be enlisted into the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Immigration Service and other security agencies at a fee ranging from GH¢5,000.00 to GH¢8,000.00.
Oppong, who was then a National Service person at the school where Mr Wellington teaches, informed him about the accused person enlisting people into the various security services through protocol.
He said Mr Wellington called the accused person who confirmed same and the accused person asked Mr Wellington to mobilize persons who were interested in the security services for them to be enlisted through protocol.
He said Mr Wellington mobilized five of his relatives, including two children of his headmaster and gave GH¢35,000.00 to the accused person.
Mensah, through the same modus operandi, lured Madam Konadu to mobilize interested persons for him, adding that she mobilised 13 interested persons where Mensah demanded and collected GHS108,500.00, the court heard.
Mensah in a military uniform visited Mr Acquah in Kumasi and asked him also to mobilise interested persons to be enlisted through protocol.
Chief Inspector Anquandah said Mr Ackah also mobilized 22 persons and the accused person collected GH¢145,900.00 from them under the pretext of recruiting them into Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Immigration Service.
The Prosecution said Mensah after collecting all money failed to fulfil his part of the bargain and went into hiding.
The complainants made a formal complaint to the Police which led to Mensah’s arrest.
In his investigation cautioned statement, he admitted the offence and pleaded with Police to give him some time to refund the money.
Source: GNA