Two arrested for alleged fraud

Page 32: Daily Graphic, May 2, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE police have arrested two persons for allegedly defrauding a clearing agent of nearly GH¢20,000.
The suspects, Lloyd Mohammed, alias Smith, a Liberian, and Samuel Acheampong Boateng, a Ghanaian, are currently in custody pending further investigations.
Five others, who the police identified only as Yaw George, Kwasi Nyantakyi, Amponsah, Richard and Ocloo, are currently at large.
The Head of the Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Maame Yaa Tiwaah, told the Daily Graphic that the complainant, Mr Martin Appiah, who is a clearing agent, was said to have had a call from someone who identified himself as Kwasi Nyantakyi claiming to be in the United Kingdom and also a member of the victim’s church in Ghana.
She said Nyantakyi allegedly informed the victim that he was working with a horse racing company in the UK that needed a drug, Horsetalic Power, which was found in Ghana.
According to her, Nyantakyi informed the complainant that a colleague of his by name Smith, would be arriving in Ghana from London to purchase the drugs.
Supt Tiwaah said Nyantakyi allegedly directed the victim to see Amponsah, who was said to be based in Koforidua and sold the drugs.
She said when the victim went in the company of two witnesses to meet Amponsah in Koforidua, they were directed to meet Richard at New Tafo, also in the Eastern Region.
She said at New Tafo, Richard provided two bottles of the purported Horsetalic Power at a cost of GH¢2,000 to the victim after Smith testified that the contents were indeed genuine and requested for 10 cartons.
Supt. Tiwaah said the victim could only purchase five cartons of the purported Horsetalic power at a cost of GH¢17,500 from Richard.
According to her, after paying for the drugs and on their way to Accra, Smith excused himself for a brief moment but was neither seen nor heard from again.
She said the victim reported the matter to the police for investigations.
She said on April 25, 2009, the police had information that Smith, who was allegedly on the wanted list of the police for similar offences, was at a nightclub.
Supt. Tiwaah said Smith was arrested at the nightclub when the police swooped in there.
Later, she said, the victim led the police to arrest Boateng in Koforidua.