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Technician jailed 15 months in absentia over recruitment scam

Crime & Punishment Technician jailed 15 months in absentia over recruitment scam
SEP 17, 2021 LISTEN

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced Philip Osei, a Plaster of Paris (POP) technician, to 15 months imprisonment in absentia, over a recruitment scam.

Osei is said to have collected GH¢ 16,500 from seven persons under the pretext of assisting them to be enlisted into Ghana Armed Forces in 2016.

The Court, presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah, at the end of the trial, found Osei guilty on the charges of defrauding by false pretences.

It, however, acquitted him on the charge of impersonation.

Osei then stopped attending court after prosecution had closed its case and he had opened his defence.

The Police told the Court that Osei had, for the past four months, stopped attending court and that the prosecution had restricted his bail bond on the sureties.

The two sureties are, therefore, to produce Osei in court so he could commence his 15 months jail term.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Emmanuel Haligah, said the complainant, Philemon Dadzie, was a salesman and in February 2016, Mr Dadzie went to the Kaneshie Post office to purchase Military recruitment forms as he intended to join the Military.

Chief Inspector Haligah said Osei, who was 'hovering' around the Post Office, approached the complainant and introduced himself as a Military Officer who drove one of the senior officers and could assist him (complainant) to get enlisted into the Military.

The Prosecution said Osei collected the complainant's phone number and started communicating with him.

Osei told the complainant that his boss had protocol slots for six other people and that if he knew other people who were interested, he could assist them.

The Prosecution said the complainant then informed the other six complainants - Jessy Acquah, Tagoe Tetteh David, Festus Kwabena Mensah, Theophilus Spio, Samuel Dadzie and Ebenezer Koomson.

It said Osei succeeded in collecting a total of GH¢ 16,500 from the complainants and gave them Army Recruits Instructions and Army Recruit Training Prospectus and asked them to prepare for training in April, 2016.

Osei, thereafter, blocked their numbers on his phone and went into hiding.

Prosecution said on March 23, 2018, one of the complainants met Osei in town and caused his arrest, with the other six following up to lodge their complaints, later.

GNA

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