Fake Ghana Police Recruiters Busted...

As you may see... There are many ways of SCAM/FRAUD in Ghana! Some are targeting Ghanaians, but most often foreigners from Australia, US, Britain or Germany! Our advise: If you receive any "documents" from your "Date" in Ghana... send it directly to ghananet-net@hotmail.co.uk 

Daily Guide Ghana - 09.08.2012 -

SOME UNSUSPECTING residents in and around Kumasi metropolis have fallen victim to the fraudulent activities of two young men who allegedly posed as police officer and human resource agent for their respective organisations in a phony enlistment programme.

The suspects, Kwadwo Afriyie, 45, a tile layer, and Mark Yama, 26, unemployed, are currently in police custody, assisting with investigations.

They were arrested on August 3, 2012 separately at their hideouts in the city when information about their fraudulent activities got to the police.

DCOP Augustine Gyening, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, told journalists that Kwadwo Afriyie, who posed as a police officer, had in his possession some forged documents bearing the Ghana Police Service (GPS) logo.

According to him, the suspect used the said documents in collecting various sums of money from his unsuspecting victims under the pretext of facilitating their recruitment into the service.

The police chief stated that the fake police officer, in one of his fraudulent moves to convince people to apply for the enlistment, contacted a complainant to pay him GH¢1,200 to ensure an easy sail into the service.

The complainant, who became suspicious, reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the suspect, DCOP Gyening indicated.

The police found on him fake police medical and recruitment forms, a stamp, and a letter embossed with GPS logo purporting to postpone police training at the various centres across the country, due to President John Atta Mills’ death.

In the case of suspect Mark Yama, he made a representation to his victims as a human resource agent of a supposed Cable Gold Consult Internet in Kumasi, claiming to recruit qualified persons as marketing officers for the said company.

The suspect was said to have managed to swindle victims of his scam sums of money as an interview fee that was pegged at GH¢15 per head.

After collecting their monies, DCOP Gyening said, the suspect could not take the victims to where the supposed company was located when he met them at the Adehyeman Gardens area in Kumasi.

He disclosed that the fraudster had asked the victims, who were from different parts of the country, to converge on the Adehyeman Gardens area to be taken to their will-be employers for orientation.

The police commander intimated that the victims became suspicious of Mark Yama and alerted the police about his activity, leading to his arrest.

The suspect admitted to the offence during police interrogation, indicating that he was working for a non-existing company, said DCOP Gyening.

Yama told police investigators he went into the fraudulent business after falling victim to it once when he completed school and was looking for a job.

Visit also: Ghana Dating Scam - Victim Support Website

When Are We Going To Rid Ghana Of The Online Fraudsters

    Ghana Dating Scam - Victim Support Website

Who Have Turned It Into A Global Superpower In Online Fraud?

By Kofi Thompson  - 08.08.2012

? I read a horrific story about internet romance fraud that made me so angry I felt I had to write an article demanding that Ghana's Parliament passes a law prescribing a mandatory jail sentence for all those involved in internet fraud.

It is giving Ghana a very bad name it most certainly does not deserve. It is an intolerable situation - especially as there are countless opportunities online for those interested in genuine business.

Unfortunately the fast wireless broadband internet offered by telcos in Ghana, has attracted a motley group of online crooks from all over West Africa, to our country.

Together with local online fraudsters - known as Sakaawa - they've succeeded in turning Ghana into a global superpower in online fraud.

And it is monstrous that they can get away with online fraud, such as the culled story below that I chanced upon, when researching the UK's Telegraph newspaper's online edition's tech-section, for news about the latest technology hardware and happenings.

It is time Ghana's executive branch of government and Parliament took steps to deal with this menace and abomination once and for all. Why do they not solicit for technical assistance from police forces in the UK, the EU and USA, I ask?

The culled Telegraph story below speaks for itself. It was written as far back 2nd May 2010 by Harriet Alexander. Please read on:

"British victim of 'romance fraud' tells of ordeal

As police arrest a man suspected to be behind the most serious case of 'romance fraud' to date, Harriet Alexander talks to the victim.

The British victim struck up a relationship over the internet with a man she believed to be an American soldier serving in Iraq.

Sarah Cook thought she had met someone special. The mother of two children had done what many lonely Britons do, and registered with an internet dating site.

Within weeks of entering a new online world of flirtation and romance, she met a US army sergeant serving in Iraq. They would chat online almost daily, swapping stories about his life on base with hers in a West Country town, and over the next 18 months their relationship deepened.

Mrs Cook, 52, was fascinated by his stories of dodging bombs, coping with explosions and living in the Iraqi desert. She would not say she was falling in love, but she was excited by this intriguing soldier with whom she felt she had a genuine connection — so much so that she was willing to help him financially.

But the charming American was not what he appeared. A few days ago, police in Ghana arrested Maurice Asola Fadola, 31, the man suspected of posing as the soldier and conning Mrs Cook out of £271,000.

Her case is thought to be the most serious example of a new kind of fraud, with international con men preying on emotionally vulnerable westerners. Police estimate that Britons are losing hundreds of millions of pounds through internet dating sites in “romance frauds”.

Mrs Cook (not her real name) does not appear a gullible or foolish woman. Yet, like other victims of the frauds, she was slowly and skilfully drawn in to a web of deceit woven by a resourceful and apparently talented liar.

Over months of online chatting she felt that she was really getting to know the American soldier, who went by the name of Steven Westmore.

He told her he was a year younger than her, and was ready to leave the army. He had a house in Texas, his son was studying medicine and his wife had died in a car crash — a common line used by such con men, police say. He sent her pictures depicting himself as a rugged, stetson-wearing American. She hoped they could meet once he left Iraq.

But when that time came, Steven told her things had gone wrong.

“We never spoke on the phone, as he told me they weren’t allowed mobile phones on army bases,” she said. “But one day, over instant messenger, Steven told me he had a problem. He was preparing to leave and had sent his luggage back to the States with a friend, a diplomat from Trinidad, who had to travel via Ghana.

“But the Ghanaian authorities had impounded Steven’s luggage, and so I had to call Steven’s friend in Ghana to sort it out. And it turned out the friend needed £2,300 to release the luggage.

“I relayed this information to Iraq. And Steven said, 'I can’t do anything from here in the desert. Can you help?’?”

Mrs Cook took the first step down what proved to be a slippery slope to financial disaster. She sent the money to Ghana via MoneyGram on the promise that she would be repaid once Steven was back home.

But this was just the beginning. Next day she was told there were further problems and more money was needed: £20,000. Steven let Mrs Cook know that inside the suitcases was $8?million (£5.2?million) he had smuggled out of Iraq.

Most people, however kindly disposed, would surely have baulked at this point and, with hindsight, Mrs Cook can see that for herself. But although her husband knew she had been on a dating website, the couple operated a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach within their marriage and Mrs Cook had told no one about her online relationship with Steven. There was nobody to make her see common sense.

“I just thought, 'Oh no, what have I got myself into here?’?” Mrs Cook said last week, wiping away tears. “I wanted to get my money back, and you end up thinking, well, if there is $8?million there, it doesn’t matter having to spend money as I will get my money back once the suitcases are released.”

Now dealing solely by telephone with the contact in Ghana, who told her that Steven was without internet access in Iraq, Mrs Cook became embroiled in a lengthy process to get her money back. Like a gambler trying to recoup her losses, the amount she was willing to spend to try to solve the problems rose — £100,000 for “legal fees”, £40,000 for “customs costs” and many thousands more.

She extended her overdraft, sold shareholdings and drained her retirement savings. Piece by piece, she dismantled the product of years of abstemious living — all the while concealing the truth from her husband, whose financial affairs were separate.

Mrs Cook sometimes found it hard to believe the intrigue in which she was caught up: a world of five-digit money transfers to Africa, suitcases full of money and a constantly evolving cast of characters, helpers of Steven, all needing her help to overcome one problem after another.

She was then persuaded by the “diplomat” to travel to Ghana — without telling anybody — where she hoped to conclude the protracted attempts to get her money back.

“I was really worried — I’d never been to Africa before,” Mrs Cook recalled. “But the diplomat told me it would speed things up, and I’d get my money back.

“I paid £500 for a 'visa’ and then someone just came to collect me from the airport and took me straight through customs — I suppose people at the airport were in on it, too.”

She was driven to a lavish house on the outskirts of the capital, Accra. Guarded by rott­weilers, it was a gold-plated and marble villa, complete with a gym, a swimming pool and a wardrobe bursting with unworn designer clothes.

Police suspect the property belonged to Fadola, who posed as the diplomat during Mrs Cook’s visit. The house may well have been built and furnished with the funds she sent to Ghana.

“I was scared at first,” she said. “When I look back, it’s terrifying thinking about what could have happened when I went there. I could have been kidnapped. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

She stayed for two nights and it was on her return that Fadola, describing himself as a business associate, came into the picture under his own name, with police alleging that he offered to travel to Britain to pay back Mrs Cook in person. So she supported his visa application.

“And that was another £10,000 for the paperwork,” she said, managing a faint smile. “I sent him a payslip; an electricity bill; a council tax bill; household documents — all those things you’re not supposed to send out.

“I just wanted to get my money back, and then maybe finally meet Steven — who I believed was still in Iraq.”

In fact, Fadola’s attempts to seek a British visa were his undoing. It disclosed his true identity to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), which was working with the Ghanaian police in connection with the case of a disabled woman who was persuaded to sell her house and send funds to Ghana.

One night in March, the police knocked on Mrs Cook’s door and asked her if she knew a Maurice Asola Fadola.

Sitting in the London offices of SOCA last week, Mrs Cook said she still struggled to come to terms with how the situation escalated.

“You look back and think, 'How could I be so stupid?’ I’d never heard about these romance frauds before,” she said. “I thought that there was this poor man stuck in Ghana because of something Steven had done. And it had been passed over to me to help him. I thought it was all my fault.”

Fadola is in prison in Ghana facing questioning over money laundering and passport fraud.

SOCA officers went to the country last month to help mount a “sting” operation and caught him when he went approached officials to access some money they had sent.

“He showed no emotion,” said one of the SOCA officers. “I just said 'Hello Steven’ as he was led away in handcuffs.”

The case is not an isolated one. “At first we thought it was just people sending £50 here or there,” said Colin Woodcock, the head of SOCA’s fraud department, “but some people are being robbed of hundreds of thousands.”

More and more cases of romance fraud are being discovered. In August last year, Philip Hunt, 58, threw himself under a train after losing £82,000 in a romance fraud. He had met a Nigerian girl on the internet, who convinced him to spend the money with promises of starting a life together.

“These people are out to get people when they are very vulnerable and at a low ebb. They’re in there like vultures,” Mr Hunt’s former partner told the inquest into his death.

It was only recently that Mrs Cook told her husband what had happened, admitting the full extent of her losses in a telephone call. She did not want to discuss his reaction. Police hope to recover some of the £271,000 that she lost.

“I don’t know if I’ll get the money back,” she said. “I had saved all my life, worked hard, gone without, planning for my retirement. But I don’t think that is going to happen now.

“I just feel so stupid.”

End of Harriet Alexander's culled piece from the Telegraph.

Well, there we are, dear reader - and how shameful this shabby story is. But it is only the tip of the iceberg, one suspects.

As a matter of fact, about a couple of years ago, I was told the sad story of a Swiss German lady, who is said to live at Aplaaku near Wieja - and appears to be the 'prisoner' of the work-shy spongers she has apparently adopted as her family in Ghana.

They are milking the poor pensioner, who is said to be frightened that some harm might come to her, were she to rid herself of the sodden leeches. Pity.

Perhaps the question we must ask officialdom is: What are they doing to rid our country of the shameful activities of the many crooks who go online to rip vulnerable people around the world off?

They must take steps to rid our nation of the army of online fraudsters who have turned Ghana into a global superpower in internet fraud.

Kofi Thompson is a Ghanaian Columnist

Ghana Documents - EASY to Fake... !

Nurses and Midwives’ Council of Ghana apprehends fake nurse

Ghana Documents are so EASY to Fake... ! (Well - Ghanaian Officials know the original.... :-)  )

The Nurses and Midwives’ Council of Ghana has apprehended a 34-year-old lady for faking a State Registered Nurse (SRN) Certificate to apply for a nursing job at a private hospital in Tema Community 10.

Cecilia Aku Dovi was apprehended and handed over to the Tema Community 11 Police after authorities of the hospital forwarded a copy of the certificate for verification when she applied to work there three weeks ago.

Mr. Felix Nyante, Deputy Registrar in-charge-of Supervision and Regional Coordination of the Council, told the media on Tuesday that his outfit detected that the certificate number 14903 bearing the suspect’s name with an issuance date of August 23, 2005 was falsified.

Mr. Nyante further said that the original certificate which belonged to a male nurse was scanned, and Cecilia’s picture and name as well as the issuance date were superimposed on it.

He added that the SRN course was faded out in 1999 noting therefore that the issuance date on the said certificate was also a fake.

He indicated that further checks on the background of the fake nurse, revealed that Cecilia worked as a ward assistant at the Holy Family Hospital in Nkawkaw in 1999 after which her appointment was confirmed in February 2000.

In 2006, the suspect vacated the post for no reason and was summarily dismissed by the hospital management in July 2006.

Mr. Nyante explained that “the position of a ward assistant is an auxiliary grade while that of a SRN is a professional grade”.

He indicated that the suspect does not have the requisite training in nursing and therefore was a danger to quality health delivery to patient.

To rid health facilities of such impersonators, he stated that his outfit which is the regulatory body of nursing and midwifery in the country periodically embarks on verification of credentials of hospital staffs.

He pleaded with authorities of health facilities to always verify the authenticity of certificates presented to them for employment to safeguard the health of the public.

Cecilia, who said she resides at Kasoa in the Central Region, told the media that she collected the certificate from a friend and scanned it without his permission.

She added that even though she worked as a ward assistant with a Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination Certificate (SSSCE), she fancied the nursing job, which made her to falsify the certificate.

See also: Ghana Dating Scam - Victim Support Website

Vicky Zugah Swindled $6,000 For A “GHOST HOUSE”

Vicky Zugah Swindled $6,000 For A “GHOST HOUSE

 * by ghanasuperstars.com  / 21.07.2012

Last year, fraud of over $1 trillion was reported in Africa. This means that the rate at which fraud is growing in Africa, especial West Africa is very high. In Ghana, there are lots of different kinds of fraud but the most popular one is the internet fraud which is in other terms called Sakawa.

Your most authoritative GhanaSuperStars.com came across Ghanaian promising actress Vicky Zugah at East Legon police station. In a quest to find out what the actress was doing at the police station, she lamented to us that she has been scammed a whopping $ 6,000. When we asked her how the scammers managed to swindle her of $ 6, 000, she stated that due to her job as an actress and exigencies of life plans, she wanted to move from her house which is around West Legon to a more celebrity befitting place.

Along the line, she came across an advert which she called and made payment of the house to those who advertised the alleged house. Fortunate for them and unfortunate for Vicky Zugah, she never heard anything from the house owners after making payment till date. According to her, she tried moving to the house a week after since the numbers of the alleged house owner’s phones where switched off; only to be informed the house is not for sale or for lease but rather she might have made a wrong payment to wrong people.

“Because I didn’t hear from them over weeks, I decided to move to the house and the owner of the house revealed to me that he is not selling his house and that the house is not for lease so probably I made a wrong payment to the wrong persons” she expressed grievously.

She also stated that the police are still investigating but luckily enough, they have come across the ID card number of one of the guys. “We have managed to trace one of the Ghanaian guys with ID# 003214511, named Henry Joe”.

A house seen, paid for but now nonexistent, Why ibi GHOST HOUSE?

For More Ghana & Nigerian Scams >>> Click Here <<<

Ghana Police arrest '419' kingpin

Ghana Police arrest '419' kingpin
* Source: Daily Graphic / 04.07.2012
An expatriate alleged to be the mastermind behind a number of business frauds and 419 cases has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

The suspect, Sohiel Issah Arbid, 59, a Palestinian-born American, was arrested when he and his Ghanaian accomplices, who are currently at large, allegedly defrauded a Japanese consultant of $120,000 under the pretext of selling gold to him.....  


>>>  Read More at; www.GhanaDatingScam.ghana-net.net  <<<

Ghana Gold and Dating Scam .. (pictures used from Lana Brooke !) 100% SCAM / FAKE / BETRUG!

***** This is just ONE of DAILY 5 - 7 Support Request Mails to Ghana-Net !!!

From: .......
To: ghana@ghana.net.com
Subject: document /person check
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:16:17 +0000



HI THERE For the last 4 months I have been in touch daily via SKYPE with a lady in Ghana (RAMATU MUNTALA) and during that time she told me that her late farther left her some gold which is in storage.

Which she as asked if I could sell it for her here in the UK which is not a problem for me and finding your site and the dubious scams people get up to I thought I would get it check out first

just to make sure things are all ok before I go ahead with it within the next week ! I must say that we get on very well and may also get married in the near future but before I pay to get the gold shipped out to me here in the UK I would ask you people to check it out for me ,to be on the safe side !!

The name of the company storing the gold are BABCOCK STANDARD SECURITY GUARANTY LTD company email info-bssgl@yahoo.com and there representative handling things and whom I am in touch with is USMAN ALHASSAN DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN OPERATIONS mobile no 40760485 ,personal e mail chicosluv@yahoo.co.uk.And as you can see I have attached copies of documents sent to me regarding it and a copy of RAMATU'S passport which as expired ,not that it bothers me !

I have also donated £10 (15$) to your charity in my appreciation of your work in checking this out for me .




MANY THANKS AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU DO THERE

......

************************************************************************

Picture used for this SCAM.. again "Lana Brooke". A porn starlet ....
If you are in contact with this "Girl".. You are in contact with
SCAMMERS! 100% !

Gold Scam Kingpin Busted

Gold Scam Kingpin Busted ...…For Swindling American of $500, 000

Ghana News of Friday, 20 January 2012
Source: The Enquirer


Nana Kofi Ansah, also known as Nana Kwesi Ansah, Managing Director of Golden Age Company, who is suspected of being a key member of a gold scam syndicate operating in the country, has been arrested.

Nana Ansah is alleged to have swindled Mr. Todd Siegmeister, Managing Director of Crown Financial Solution Limited of the USA, of $500,000 and GH¢30,000 under the pretext of supplying and exporting gold to the USA for him. He was arrested by a crack team of security agents at Top Town, a suburb of Kasoa Amanfrom near Accra, where his office and residence are located on January 6, this year.

Highly placed security source told The Enquirer Nana Ansah went into hiding after collecting the said amount from Mr. Siegmeister in November 2010, and efforts to arrest him proved futile.

The source said that Nana Ansah provided his victim with Airway Bill and Customs Excise and Preventive Service documents, including tracking certificate, all dated January 6, 2011, but failed to supply any gold.

According to the source, Nana Ansah in the course of swindling Mr. Siegmeister took some people suspected to be part of the syndicate dressed in CEPS uniform to him to convince him that he was dealing with the right people.

The source said that Nana Ansah has so far admitted collecting the said money and investigations are still going on to arrest other members of the syndicate.

See also: Ghana Dating Scam website at Ghana-net.com

How Kufour Was Used In $2.5 Million Gold Scam

News of Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Source: The Herald

How Kufour Was Used In $2.5 Million Gold Scam


The Dubai-based business tycoon and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jampur Group, Mohammad Shafiq, who was lured into Ghana by a highly-connected criminal gang led by lawyer Charles Owusu Juanah, and duped US$2.5 million has revealed details of his rare meeting with ex-President John Kufuor, at his Airport West Residence.

He mentioned Mr. Paul Afoko as present during the meeting with the ex-president, where he was asked to donate a mouthwatering US$30, 000 to the recently launched Kufuor Foundation, owned by Mr. Kufuor.

Other details picked up by The Herald, reveals a certain David Lamptey, who on the day after Mr Shafiq met Mr. Kufuor went to the K-San Law Firm with a police dispatch rider to fetch the lawyer from his Adabraka office on claim that they had an important meeting with Vice-President John Mahama, at the Castle.

Juanah, whose real name is Charles Owusu Ansah, has also been walking the corridors of power claiming to be an Oil Expert , is said to be noted for sweet talks and namedropping to convince his victims of his connections to people in high places; lawyers, judges, top police officers and politicians.

According to Mr. Shafiq, during his November, 2011 visit to Ghana, “Charles invited me to visit former president, John Kufour at his residence. Charles wanted me to meet every important politician and individuals in Ghana including the sitting President, Vice-President, national security advisor of Ghana”.

“He told me that he is the exclusive adviser and attorney of Mr. John Kufour and to former president’s close associates including Mr. Paul Afoko, the former president’s chief of staff among others.

“He further advised me that he has done legal work for the sitting president in the past and continues to do his legal work and he has access to the president all the time.

“When Charles and I arrived at the residence of Mr. John Kufour, I saw Mr. Paul Afoko sitting with Mr. Kufour” “Charles advised Mr. Kufour about my activities in Ghana, specifically investment of USD five millions in purchase of gold and expansions of business in the mining sector.

“Charles suggested I donate USD 30,000/ to Mr. Kufour’s charity foundation, which I agreed and told Mr. Kufour my intentions for donating in charity to his foundation. Mr. Kufour was very kind and encouraged me to invest in Ghana. “Our meeting lasted about twenty minutes, as Mr. Kufour had to travel to another town in Ghana.

“Charles and I, dropped off Paul at the airport, as Paul was his way to London for meeting with gold buyers. Paul told me he might have some gold to sell but will discuss after his return from London.

“Paul and I have been in touch, but no business transaction has taken place and we have not sent USD 30,000/ mentioned above as account details were not sent to me by Charles as was promised.

“Later, Charles and I arrived at his law office and met the sellers of gold, OLD NANA (Nana Adjei) and Small Nana. Charles had informed them that I just met Mr. Kufour.

“Charles further told them that he will take me to meet the sitting president soon. This was the day agreement was reached for the gold transaction and they received USD One millions in advance.

“I met Mr. Kufour again at Abuja, Nigeria on the advice of Paul. “Mr. Kufour was then visiting Abuja. This was after the fraud had been committed against us.

“Mr. Kufour was very sympathetic to my situation and called Paul to assist me to handle this matter”. Meanwhile, the Financial Division of the Accra High Court has remanded in custody the Chief Executive Officer of K-San Law firm, Charles Owusu Juanah, and an agronomist, Victor Amoah, on charges of conspiracy and money laundering.

They are being held by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for fraud and money laundering activities. They are to reappear before the court presided over by Mr. Justice Bright Mensah, on Thursday, January 19, 2012.

They have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and aiding and abetting money laundering activities.

The bank managers of the Guaranty Trust Bank (GT Bank) at its Abeka and headquarters branches, as well as the Industrial Area Branch Manager of the SG-SSB Bank and the Chief Executive of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), are to report to the EOCO on tomorrow to assist in the investigations.

Another person, identified as Nana Kwaku Adjei, who posed as a gold dealer in the fraudulent transactions, is currently being sought to assist in investigations.

Juanah, the principal architect, is said to have collected the US$2.5 million from the GT Bank headquarters at about 9:45 p.m. on November 17, 2011, to his Abeka office in a sack.

Details are that the two accused persons lured a Dubai-based businessman and his agents into the country to establish business dealings in gold. They were made to pay the US$2.5 million before the gold, which had been lodged in a vault at the SG-SSB Bank, was released to them..

Juanah, at about 9:45 p.m. on November 17, 2011, went to the Abeka branch of the GT Bank to pick the money to an office located at Adabraka.

Mr. Shafiq and his agents later verify the authenticity of the gold when it had been delivered, and a huge portion of it turned out to be fake.

When Mr. Shafiq and his agents wanted to lodge a complaint with the police, they were warned by Juanah not to as they would be arrested by the police for transacting an illegal business. They left the country for Dubai but lodged a complaint with the National Security, which referred the matter to EOCO.

When Juanah was picked up, two passports; one British and one Ghanaian, with two different dates of birth were seized from him.

Investigations have so far revealed that Juanah drafted the contract agreement for the transactions, acted as solicitor to both the buyer and the seller, while Victor Amoah, a friend of Juanah’s, acted as consultant to Mr. Shafiq and his agents.

Read also: President Kufuor Cited In $2.5 Milion Gold Scam
(14th January 2012)

President Kufuor Cited In $2.5 Milion Gold Scam

News of Saturday, 14 January 2012

Source: The Herald (Ghana)


*419 Lawyer Caged In BNI Cells *

- *GT and SG-SSB Banks Used In Dirty Transaction *

The dream of a top international businessman Mohammad Shafiq, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Jampur Group, to buy gold in Ghana, upon which he was led into a meeting with ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, has turned out to be his nightmare with his US$2.5 million gone to a gang of hi-tech fraudsters led by lawyer Charles Owusu Juanah.

Mohammad Shafiq traveled to Accra, on October 30, 2011 in prospect of a gold transaction. Mr. Rehan Barlas, an American national and representative of Jampur Group, had earlier been in Accra with Mr. Victor Amoah, a Ghanaian National.

Mr. Amoah had introduced gold sellers to the Dubai-based Mr. Mohammad Shafiq. This was after he had been introduced to Jampur by Mr. Charles Owusu Juanah, chairman and owner of K-San Law Firm in Accra.

After this, Mr. Juanah, led the businessman in November 2011 to meet ex-President J.A Kufuor at his Airport West residence in connection with his desire to buy gold. Mr. Kufuor is said to have given his blessings to the transaction and also expressed delight that Jampur wanted to invest in Ghana.

Lawyer Juanah is also said to have boasted of his connections to President John Evans Atta Mills and his vice, John Mahama, as well as other important politicians in this country to the business mogul.

The meeting with ex-President Kufuor, in particular, according to the businessman, boosted his confidence level that he was indeed in a safe pair of hands.

Mr. Amoah introduced Mr. Mohammad Shafiq to Nana Kwaku Adjei and Nana Agyepong as gold sellers, who offered to sell to him gold, amounting to 250 kgs at an agreed price of US$38,000 per kilo, making a total value of US$9.5 million.

The first meeting was held at the luxurious Movenpick Ambassador hotel and it was agreed that the sellers will smelt gold dust at ASAP VASA refinery in Accra.

After the smelting, the gold was to be stored in the joint custody of the buyers and the sellers at SG-SSB Bank. Final testing and shipment of the gold was to be done by Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), a government organization.

After completing satisfactory testing of quality and quantity, the buyer was to pay an amount of US 3.5 million to the sellers, as part payment, with a balance payment of US$6 million to be made after the arrival of the gold in Dubai in presence of the sellers’ representative Mr. Johnson.

A contract was signed between the buyer and sellers. This contract was drawn by Mr Juanah, who is currently in the cell of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), in the presence of the buyer and the sellers at his office, K San Law Firm Accra.

Mr. Juanah, a nephew of Kofi Osei Ameyaw, onetime Deputy Tourism Minister and a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region.

During the transaction, Nana Agyepong is said to have pleaded for an advance payment of US$1 million from Jampur on November 4, 2011, which was paid through Mr Juanah.

This deposit was to be paid urgently, otherwise Nana Adjei, his partner’s life was in danger because his (Nana Adjei) partners had threatened to kill him or hurt him, for delaying the sale of gold to some buyers. This story was told to Jampur by Messrs Amoah and Juanah.

On November 10, 2011, Mr Juanah told Mr Shafiq that Nana Adjei was unwell and was hospitalized. Mr Juanah met him at the hospital along with three miners, who demanded additional money from Nana Adjei. These miners were making noises and creating chaos at the hospital per account of Juanah and Amoah.

Juanah further told the Jampur Group that Nana Agypeong had paid US$ 200,000 to the miners from his pocket to calm down the situation. On the next day again, Jampur was told, that Nana Adjel was still unwell hence unable to come to the bank for the shipment of the gold.

On November 12, 2011 it was found that Nana Adjei had travelled out of Accra, although Charles had claimed that he was not in a position to get up from bed the previous day.

Mr. Rehan Barlas called Nana Adjei and he was informed that he was still unwell and couldn’t make it to Accra. This excuse from Nana Adjei was given from November 14 to 17, 2011.

On November18, 2011 Tahir Kureshi, Director, Jampur Nigeria arrived in Accra as an additional buyer’s representative. With Nana Adjei missing, Juanah sent an email to Jampur Group (Mr. Mohammad Shafiq), affirming that his law firm K-San law Firm, could guarantee that all the funds being spent on this transaction would be realized.

He further assured Jampur’s representatives that they were safe and secure, as his law firm and him personally had decided that the gold would be kept in their custody at all the time. He thus said that Nana Adjei’s life was in danger if the remaining funds were not released to them urgently.

Juanah asked Mr. Mohammad Shafiq that the funds be released to him personally, as he would undertake the responsibility of the entire operation and would guarantee the quantity and quality of gold to Jampur as per the contract he prepared.

This was communicated via email to Mr. Mohammad Shafiq.

Juanah reminded Mr. Mohammad Shafiq of his status as a barrister in law in the UK and Ghana, and that his Integrity would be at stake if the deal did not go well. Earlier, Juanah had taken Mr. Shafiq to visit former President Kufuor at his residence.

He told Mr. Shafiq that Jampur should trust him, given his relationship with the former President and the present President of Ghana. He invited Mr. Shafiq to visit the current President at his convenience.

Juanah also showed a copy of the cheque he had written to the sellers for US$6 million as a guarantee to them for their balance of payment, and assured Jampur that everything would be okay. At this juncture, Jampur agreed to release US$2.5 million from Guarantee Trust Bank (GT Bank) to Juanah personally and he took the equivalent amount in Ghana Cedis in cash from the Abeka Branch to his office.

After collecting the amount, Juanah advised the buyer’s representatives to relax and go to their hotel and that all would be fine. He conveyed the same message to Mr. Shafiq on the phone, in Dubai at that time.

Juanah later arranged a bullion van to the SG-SSB Bank, however, when the van arrived at the bank, the miners and Nana Agyepong also arrived at the bank demanding more funds from the buyers.

Mr. Shafiq spoke to Charles about this situation and Juanah advised him not to worry and said” this is a game they are playing “. Juanah told Mr. Shafiq that he had arranged an additional US$ 600,000.00 from his personal account to pay them”.

Charles asked Mr. Shafiq if he had any money at the bank indicating that would be helpful. Mr. Shafiq told him that he could give him an additional USD 50,000.00 if that was necessary.

When the van arrived at the PMMC office, the miners stormed there making noises. The PMMC refused to do the test as it was after 4pm.

Charles suggested, “let us take the gold to my office and I will sort out the matter with these miners/sellers” Mr. Shafiq advised Juanah that the gold should be put back in the bank vault but Charles assured him not to worry and that Mr. Shafiq should relax in Dubai.

Upon arrival at his office, with the miners, Tahir and Rehan, Juanah claimed he had to visit Vice-President John Mahama, who had asked to see him on a very important national matter.

He was instructed by the buyers that the gold should be put in a bank vault, but he ignored the same instruction and said to the buyers that Vice-President was waiting for him hence, it was more important for him to see the Vice-President than “handling this nonsense business of gold”.

He was advised by the Jampur representatives that the bank vault would close by 7pm. He came back to his office about 9 to 10 pm by which time the banks were closed.

He decided to divide the total bars, 135 bars to buyers and 126 bars to sellers and advised the buyers that gold could not be kept in his office as it was dangerous, hence the buyers should take the gold to the hotel at Golden Tulip and bring it back to PMMC the next morning. A strong protest was made about this decision, but Juanah insisted.

Since there was no option to the buyer’s, the gold was taken to Golden Tulip hotel by Tahir, Rehan and Amoah about 1a.m with Tahir and Rehan sleeping in one room to guard the gold.

They next day when the gold was taken to PMMC about 9am along with Victor, it was discovered that the weight of the gold is 70 kilogram and not 135 kilogram as Juanah had told the buyers.

Juanah was informed about the development and he in turn advised the buyers, that the sellers would bring an additional 50 kilogram to make it a total of 130kilogram. At this time he contacted the sellers and informed Tahir that they had sold the remaining gold to some third party, hence they would refund the balance of funds to the buyers.

About 30 minutes later, PMMC called to say that it was only five of the 70 bars that were real gold and that the remaining 65 bars were other metal.

Juanah came to PMMC and asked buyers to bring these bars to his office. He was instructed by Mr. Mohammad Shafiq to lodge a police complaint, but Charles advised Mr. Shafiq, “your representatives will be detained by the police if they file this complaint”.

The case is currently in the hands of the law enforcement agencies for investigation with Mr. Juanah still in custody.

Read also: How Kufour Was Used In $2.5 Million Gold Scam
(17th January 2012)