Vice President's Son in Trouble

Farouk Mahama, son of Vice President Aliu Mahama, and his friend, Nana Poku, are helping the Police investigate a ¢1.8 billion fraud case. The two allegedly duped a businessman, Emmanuel Kwame Mainoo, under the pretext of helping the victim retrieve his confiscated goods from the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).

By a twist of fate, Nana Poku, said to be parading himself as the nephew of President Kufuor, walked straight into the arms of the law when he went to Hot FM, an Accra-based private radio station, for a damage control story.

Signals picked from Hot FM indicate that the suspect, who Daily Guide learnt had been detained at the Airport Police Station, dashed to the station, demanding to be put on air for his side of the story.

However, he was refused this request and the station rather settled on an interview with him, which was later joined by Farouk.

Farouk, who was called by Nana Poku, arrived at Hot FM in the company of a security operative, simply identified as Hafiz. After the interview, in which the two youngsters denied the ¢1.8bn allegation, Daily Guide gathered that Farouk had asked his friend to follow him to Castle Annex to see his uncle, which request Nana Poku declined.

However, unknown to Nana Poku, the presence of Hafiz was to effect his arrest. Hafiz therefore called for a re-inforcement from the Adabraka Police Station, where Nana Poku was eventually taken to. The Adabraka Police Station confirmed the arrest of the alleged fraudster and said the case had been transferred to the Airport Police, in whose jurisdiction the alleged crime was committed.

Farouk, Daily Guide learnt, told Hot FM in the interview that he suspected his friend had taken ¢1.3 billion from the businessman without his knowledge. He claimed that since it was he who introduced Nana Poku to the businessman, whom he described as his business partner, he had every right to find out why he took such a large sum of money.

Farouk conceded that he did take ¢170 million from Mr. Mainoo, the businessman, which he described as “ways and means” and part of a deal they had both entered into.

Mainoo, Daily Guide learnt, imported some chemicals from Canada under the guise of sending them to a company at the Free Zones enclave. Unknown to him, after escaping the payment of import duties, CEPS officials trailed the cargo to the Spintex Road in Accra.

The goods were subsequently confiscated by the revenue-generating agencies and a heavy penalty slapped on the importer, who had also wanted to dupe the state.

In his desperation, Mr. Mainoo had met Farouk who offered to help him with a financial inducement to 'oil the machinery.' This led to the formation of a company, FEMMEK, with a 60-40 shareholding structure in favour of the son of the vice president.

Having introduced Nana Poku to Mr. Mainoo, Farouk told Hot FM that his friend had started taking money from his “business associate” without his knowledge.