2 Caged Over Police Scam

The two key suspects believed to have masterminded the recent recruitment scandal that hit the Ghana Police Service have been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.

They are Alifa Adams, 27 and Joseph Seidu Awuni.
They are facing a three-count charge each of conspiracy, defrauding by false pretences and possession of forged documents.

Appearing before the court presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, the pleas of the accused persons were not taken, but they were remanded into police custody to reappear on Monday, March 24, 2015.

It would be recalled that the police declared Alifa wanted on Wednesday after he reportedly jumped bail; and the Police Administration consequently offered a Gh¢5,000 bounty for information which could lead to his arrest.

Alifa Adams aka Cassidy or Baaba was said to have reported himself to the police following the publication that he had jumped bail.

He reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters shortly after news about his bail-jumping made the headlines alongside the announcement of a Gh¢5,000 bounty on his head.

The suspect is said to be the kingpin in the recruitment scam involving hundreds of young men and women desirous of enlisting into the Ghana Police Service, over which they paid various sums of money and subsequently reported to the various training centres across the country clutching fake enlistment correspondences.

The re-arrest of the 27-year-old unemployed man would enable the task force to conduct further investigations into the case.

On March 1, a number of young men and women reported at some police training schools in the country for enlistment into the Ghana Police Service, but were told it was a scam and therefore sent away.

Their recruitment letters, which allegedly bore the signature of COP Patrick Eden Timbillah, Director- General of human Resource of the Police, were said to be fake.

The Police Administration, however, interdicted COP Timbillah and had his bank accounts frozen for his alleged complicity in the case.

COP Timbillah was allegedly mentioned by some suspects arrested in connection with the fraud.

Other suspects arrested in connection with the recruitment scam were Aisha Asumda alias Aisha Boku Masi, 36, a shea butter seller; Amos Brown, 40, a radio presenter; General Corporal Gideon Sarpong of the Police Visibility Unit, Takoradi; Constable Ruth Agyiri, Central Police station, Koforidua; Pastor Paul Danso of Tarkwa and Richard harrison.

Task Force Report
Meanwhile, the task force instituted to investigate the matter has submitted its report to the Police Management Board.

Confirming the submission of the report to DAILY GUIDE in a telephone interview yesterday, Supt Cephas Arthur, Director of the Police Public Affairs, said Mr Timbillah was invited by the task force.

A statement issued and signed by Supt Arthur said, 'In compliance with the directive from the Police Council, the Police Management Board wishes to inform the general public and all its stakeholders that the investigation report on the recruitment fraud had been duly submitted to the Police Council.

'We wish to further indicate that we do not want to pre-empt the deliberations and subsequent decisions of the Police Council.'

According to the statement, 14 people including three police officers have been investigated in connection with the fraud, adding that 'meanwhile the docket on the case is being processed for submission at the Attorney-General's office for advice'.

The statement further urged the general public and all stakeholders to continue to give the police their support.