State awaits advice for police recruitment scam case

Accra, April 13, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh adjourned to May 4, the case of the seven alleged persons involved in the police recruitment fraud.

The case was adjourned because the State said it was waiting for an advice from the Attorney-General's Department on the duplicate docket.

The State, at the last adjourned date, prayed the court to suspend the case to enable prosecution conclude its investigations.

The judge urged the prosecution to take up steps to speed up the process of getting the advice within the timelines of the adjournment.

He said by the time of the next court hearing, the A-G should make its advice ready to the prosecution, otherwise the court would have the prerogative to continue the case, without the advice.  

The accused persons have pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and are on bail.

As part of the bail conditions, the accused persons were asked to report to the Police twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery, presenting the facts to the court, said the complainant in the case is a police officer.

He said following numerous reports of enlistment fraud into the Ghana Police Service, the Police Administration put up measures to arrest the perpetrators by informing all officers to be alert.

He said on December, 24, last year, following intelligence gathered the Ayisha Boku Asumda, Joshua Palba and Wuni Salinko were arrested, when they were in the process of collecting balance of money from their victim, after issuing him with a forged enlistment form and an appointment letter.

The Prosecution said a search was immediately conducted at Ayisha's house and cash of GH₵ 58,888.00 and several forged police enlistment application forms were found.

'When questioned about the forms, Ayisha, who is the architect of the recruitment fraud, claimed the forms were given to her by Awuni, whose whereabouts are not known.

He said Ayisha in her statement admitted collecting monies ranging from GH₵ 4,000.00 to GH₵ 7,000.00 from about 30 people, totalling GH₵ 1.2 million, and issued them with enlistment application forms all with the same serial number.

DSP Dery told the court that these victims were to report to the National Police Training School on January 31 for their training.

He said on January 2, Salinko, who has been on the run, was spotted at Kwame Nkrumah circle by one of the victims and raised the alarm and he was arrested to assist in investigations.

He alleged that Salinko admitted in his caution statement to have collected money from 18 victims amounting to GH₵ 63,000.00 and had since refunded GH₵ 11, 950.00.

  'He, further confirmed knowing Awuni as part of the syndicate.'

The prosecution said while investigations were still in progress, the Police arrested A5 a member of the syndicate also at Kwame Nkrumah Circle on January 24, having invited victims to Accra from Bolgatanga and other parts of the country to report for medicals at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

He said the purported medical was supposed to be done on January, 26 on the instructions of Ayisha and Awuni.

He said in his caution statement, the accused person admitted collecting money from 70 people and paying to Ayisha and Awuni.    

He said on February 27, Abasa, who upon his arrest at Tesano was identified as Alifa, during investigation, he admitted having connived with Awuni to produce the fake enlistment forms and also the beneficiary to the monies involved.       

He said on February 28, Alifa was granted police inquiry bail to report on March 3 but jumped bail until, he saw his photograph being published on the front page before he reported himself with his lawyer.

On March 13, Awuni, who has been on the police wanted list since December 2014 was arrested, when he was lured to come and collect money by one of his agents.

GNA