Fake lawyer arrested

Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested a 49-year-old man who posed as a lawyer and allegedly defrauded a South African of thousands of dollars.
Prosper Tao Tsikata posed as Mr Wallace Bruce-Cathline of Minka-Premo and Co and allegedly defrauded the South African of $4,000, while his accomplice, identified as Asaagaf Mohammed, collected 25,000 Euros from the victim on the pretext of facilitating the purchase and processing of gold on his behalf.
Briefing the Daily Graphic yesterday, Superintendent Dennis Abade of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service said a partner of Minka-Premo and Co lodged a complaint that someone had used Mr Bruce-Cathline’s chambers to defraud a South African, Siraag Abrahams.
According to Supt Abade, the complainant claimed that Mr Abrahams had accused Mr Bruce-Cathline of collecting $34,000 on the pretext of supplying him with gold.
The CID man said at the time the transaction was alleged to have taken place, Mr Bruce-Cathline was out of the country but had left his phone with the partner to receive calls on his behalf.
He said the victim then led the police to Tsikata’s offices at Ashongman where the suspect had hoisted the flags of Ghana, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and South Africa, as well as posted the picture of Mr Nelson Mandela and another he allegedly took with President George Bush.
He said the police also retrieved a gown, a wig and a large number of stamps of various companies in the offices.
He said the security man, Kwame Dabla, 45, and Tsikata’s driver, Gordon Lokko, 24, were arrested after they refused to take the police to the residence of their employer.
Supt Abade said the police then left a note for Tsikata to report at the CID Headquarters to assist in investigations.
He said when Tsikata showed up at the CID Headquarters yesterday, the police arrested him.
According to him, the suspect admitted that he was not a trained lawyer.