The Koforidua Circuit Court ‘B’ has remanded a 32-year-old unemployed for disguising himself as a United Kingdom-based Ghanaian doctor to defraud three persons to the tune of Ghc70,750 under the false pretence of securing them travelling documents.
The accused, Daniel Okyere, 32, also forced two of his victims to marry to facilitate their trip to the UK.
The victims now complainants in the case are Mavis Asante Manteaw, 27, a Hotel Receptionist and her sister Doris Asante Manteaw, 30, a teacher, and Bismark Owusu Agyeman,30, an Administrative Manager.
The Prosecutor, Inspector Owusu Ababio, explained to the Court presided over by Her Honour Mercy Adei Kotei that, in 2017 the accused met Mavis Asante Manteaw and introduced himself as a Medical Doctor and Specialist Oncologist who worked in the United Kingdom.
The two subsequently became friends. Mavis showed interest in travelling to the UK to pursue further education which the accused assured of assisting her. In March, 2019, the accused went to Mavis’ house and told her he had just arrived from the UK and that will facilitate her documents to enable her to travel with him to the UK.
He demanded an initial amount of Ghc5,000 under the guise of securing medical and Insurance report for her. Later in July, the accused returned to demand various sums of money from Mavis which she paid to the tune of Ghc4,350 as part payment of the Gh5000 demanded.
The Second Victim, Doris Asante Manteaw, a teacher at Akoase near Nkawkaw who had secured admission in a UK University and was introduced to the accused by the first victim Mavis Asante Manteaw who is her sister.
The accused convinced her to get her fiancee – Bismark Owusu Agyeman to join to reduce the cost of the Plane ticket. The accused person then demanded their passports and Gh18,000 to begin the process which they obliged.
They later paid a total of Ghc54,400 to the accused for their Visa acquisition, medical reports, bank Statement and Air Ticket.
The two lovers were compelled by the accused to marry to enable them to obtain a marriage certificate to enhance their eligibility to stay in the UK. Ghc12,000 was used to organize the marriage ceremony and obtained their marriage certificate from the Koforidua District Magistrate Court ‘B’.
The accused went ahead to forge UK travelling Visas bearing names of the victims and handed over to them.
He later went to take a 32 inch flat Screen TV set costing Ghc1,500 from Bismark Owusu Agyemang to sell to add up to the amount.
Bismark, after receiving his passport and Visa became suspicious and went to the Regional Immigration Office for verification where he was told the documents were fake.
Police efforts to arrest the accused Daniel Okyere became difficult until one of the victims pretended to have managed to raise some monies for a further payment which enabled the Police to arrest him in his attempt to collect the money.
He admitted the offence but mentioned one Titus Awuku for forging the Passports and Visas which he has failed to locate his house.
Accused Daniel Okyere has been charged with two counts of Defrauding by false Pretence and Forgery.
He is expected to reappear in Court on November 12, 2019.
Source:Starrfm.com.gh