A 33-year-old unemployed man, Emmanuel Ofori Ansong, has appeared in court facing charges of fraud after allegedly collecting GH¢65,739 by falsely claiming he could recruit two individuals into the Ghana Police Service.
Ansong, who lacked legal representation, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment at the Dansoman Circuit Court, presided over by Halima EL-Alawa Abdul-Baasit. The court granted him bail set at GH¢70,000, requiring three sureties, with two of them being public servants earning GH¢2,000.
As part of the bail conditions, Ansong must deposit a copy of his Ghana Card with the court’s registry. The case has been adjourned to May 6 for the prosecution to file witness statements and disclosures.
Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder and Inspector Esther Mensah, representing the prosecution, opposed bail, citing concerns that Ansong might not appear in court and could jeopardize ongoing investigations regarding other matters.
The prosecution outlined that the complainant, Benjamin Otchere Amo, a farmer from Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region, was introduced to Ansong as a representative from the National Youth Employment Agency (YEA) who could assist with recruitment.
In November 2023, following a series of demands, the complainant paid GH¢1,000 each for himself and his elder brother. Ansong continued to solicit money under false pretenses, claiming to create new Y.E.A numbers and procure necessary forms.
Ultimately, Ansong extracted GH¢65,739 from the complainant by promising to facilitate their recruitment into the Ghana Police Service. The complainant later recognized he was being scammed when no results materialized.
On April 3, 2024, the complainant confronted Ansong, who fled upon being seen. The incident was reported to the Korle-Bu Police, leading to Ansong’s arrest on April 22, 2024, by local residents. During questioning, Ansong admitted to the charges against him.
