Former Security Officer Arrested For Fraud

A former security officer of the British High Commission, Mr Owusu Boakye-Yiadom, has been arrested for allegedly selling United Kingdom (UK) visa application forms.

He was arrested within the premises of the Visa Facilitating Section (VFS) at Labone when some officials from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service posed as would-be travellers and bought at ¢40,000 each the forms which are given free to all applicants.

Mr Boakye-Yiadom, currently on remand pending further investigations, is being held for defrauding by false pretences.

The Head of the Commercial Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) K. K. Amoah, told the Daily Graphic that about 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29, 2007, the police were alerted that UK visa forms were being sold to applicants at ¢10,000 each.

He said CID officials were detailed to the scene to pose as visa applicants in search of visa forms and Boakye-Yiadom readily made some available at ¢40,000 each.

According to ACP Amoah, the CID officials bought two of the forms and subsequently arrested Boakye-Yiadom, who had worked for the commission for 12 years and could, therefore, not deny that the forms were not for sale. The suspect had more forms on him when he was searched.

ACP Amoah said in recent times the British High Commission had reported that visa application forms were being sold to applicants by unscrupulous individuals.

Story by Hilda Owusu