A 37-year-old man who allegedly defrauded four individuals of GH¢182,400 by falsely claiming he could recruit their children into the security services has been acquitted and discharged by the Akyem Ofoase District Magistrate Court.
The accused, Richard Osei, had posed as a worker at the Jubilee House to convince his victims, collecting sums totalling GH¢182,400 under the pretext of enlisting their children into the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, and Ghana Immigration Service.
Osei pleaded not guilty to fraud by false pretence during his first court appearance on April 7, 2026, claiming the money was intact with his boss in Accra and would soon be repaid at court.
The presiding judge, His Worship Benjamin Bennet Attabrah, remanded the accused in custody and scheduled his next appearance for April 21, 2026.
However, three days after the remand — on Thursday, April 9, 2026 — the accused’s wife brought the full amount to the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lawrence Ahiatsi.
The prosecutor promptly invited the victims to the court, where the money was handed over to the presiding magistrate in their presence. His Worship Attabrah directed a court clerk and the prosecutor to distribute the funds to the respective owners.
The magistrate subsequently acquitted and discharged the accused, warning him not to engage in such criminal acts.
How the Fraud Unfolded
According to ASP Ahiatsi, the second-in-command at the Oda District Police Headquarters, Osei approached his victims in their various communities sometime this year and collected varying sums:
· GH¢60,700 from Raymond Asamoah, a farmer at Akyem Asene
· GH¢35,700 from Mercy Yeboah, a cement seller at Asene
· GH¢32,000 from Desmond Adu Asamoah, a block manufacturer at Asene
· GH¢54,000 from Ebenezer Appiah, a trader at Oda
After collecting the money, Osei went into hiding until April 3, 2026, when a Good Samaritan informed the victims that the accused had taken refuge in his hometown, Anum Apapam.
The victims lodged a complaint with the Oda District Police Command, who deployed plain-clothed officers to arrest him that same day.
