Convicted fraudster 'Chad' arrested while trying to flee Ghana after 7years in hiding
The Ghana Police Service has arrested convicted fraudster Eric Afoakwa, popularly known as "Chad," who had been evading justice for seven years after being sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for money laundering, defrauding by false pretences, forgery of official documents and tax evasion.
Afoakwa was convicted in absentia by the Accra High Court in 2019 after he was found guilty on five of the six charges brought against him.
The trial judge, Justice Georgina Mensah Datsa, sentenced him to serve eight years in prison on all counts concurrently and ordered him to refund US$132,660 to the complainant.
Following the conviction, Afoakwa went into hiding and was subsequently declared wanted by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), which appealed to the public for information that could lead to his arrest.
In a statement, the Ghana Police Service said the fugitive was arrested on Monday, July 6, 2026, by officers from the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit acting on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.
According to the Police, Afoakwa was apprehended while allegedly preparing to leave the country.
The Service said he will be handed over to EOCO to facilitate the execution of the court's judgment and the enforcement of his prison sentence.
The Ghana Police Service reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with other state institutions to ensure that fugitives are apprehended and made to face the full force of the law.