Two loan seekers busted

Luck did not smile on two loan seekers who attempted to secure a loan from UT Financial Services for a third party, with the assurance of getting a percentage from the loan amount when the deal goes through.

In their greed to secure the loan through any means possible, the two, Akunor Bismark Oweredu, 46, and Atsonglo Alfred Kofi, 52, allegedly resorted to using fake documents to accomplish their mission.

Narrating the incident to this reporter at the headquarters of UT Financial Services in Accra, Cudjoe Sappor, the Credit Manager who the culprits had contacted to process the loan for them, said on September 23rd 2008, the two men walked into his office to apply for a GH¢100,000.00 loan facility for a third party (name withheld), for the purpose of accomplishing business transactions.

According to him, he suspected foul play in their presentations and therefore requested for a signed identity card, which one of them, Akunor Bismark Oweredu readily produced a Ghanaian Passport. However, the other accomplice, Atsonglo Alfred Kofi promised to produce his ID later, which he did the following Monday (September 29th 2008) by also submitting a Ghanaian Passport.

Mr. Cudjoe Sappor said after carefully scrutinizing the two Ghanaian Passports, he was able to detect that they were fake, and he immediately alerted the Ghana Immigration Service for appropriate action. He then asked the loan seekers to go and come back on October 1st 2008, with their guarantors, for the loan to be processed for them, since they had satisfied all the conditions needed for the granting of the loan.

The two reported at the offices of UT Financial Services on the appointed date and time where they were busted by the Ghana Immigration Service for interrogation. When this reporter contacted the Director of Operations of the Ghana Immigration Service, George Annan, he confirmed the incident and said the two were now in the hands of the state and would soon be arraigned before court.

Officials of UT Financial Services said they sometimes encounter such problems, but with their training, they are always equal to the task and would flush out all the criminals from the system.

The Corporate Affairs Manager of UT Financial Services, Sophia Lissa was of the firm opinion that severe punitive action that is taken against the two would serve as a deterrent to others.