State Prosecutors are set to file a fresh charge sheet against the two men who have been arraigned for impersonating Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongue, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, following the latest discoveries.
According to the Prosecution, further investigations have discovered that the accused persons are involved in more offenses with National Democratic Congress’ Women Organiser Hannah Bissue and Thomas Ampem-Nyarko Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman as the latest victims.
The two – Promise Ahorgah, a Phone repairer, and Kwaotse Mawuli, a building construction laborer are said to have created social media accounts in the name of the North Tongue MP to solicit funds on behalf of victims affected by the Akosombo and Kpong Dam Spillage.
They have pleaded not guilty to six counts of allegedly defrauding unsuspecting Ghanaians and have been granted GHc50,000 bail each.
The two – Promise Ahorgah, a Phone repairer, and Kwaotse Mawuli, a building construction laborer are said to have created social media accounts in the name of the North Tongue MP to solicit funds on behalf of victims affected by the Akosombo and Kpong Dam Spillage.
In Court on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, Joyce Yinsoma Tindana, a State Attorney who was holding brief for substantive Attorney, Watkins Adama said following the extensive investigations, “the republic is inclined to file new charges.”
“I have instructions to inform my lady (the Court) that the office (Attorney General’s Office) has recently received the case docket from the investigator after requesting for further investigations in the matter,” the State Attorney said.
“Considering the volumes of documents brought to our attention, and the fact that similar offenses have been discovered by the republic regarding the accused persons some of which is the impersonation of other public figures like Hon Thomas Ampem-Nyarko, (MP, Asuogyaman) and Hannah Bissue, (NDC, National Women Organiser) among others,” she told the Court.
“In the light of these extensive investigations conducted and new discoveries made, the republic is inclined to file new charges and put together all relevant documents for disclosures,” she told the Court.
They were arrested on December 13 by the National Signals Bureau.
The counts comprised – two counts each of defrauding by false pretenses, Charlatanic advertisement and falsely pretending to be a Public Officer.
Brief facts
Per the brief facts of the case, the complainant in this case is the Member of Parliament for North Tongu and a resident of Accra.
It states that the first accused person is a mobile phone repairer while the 2nd accused person is a building construction laborer.
The Prosecution said, that following the Akosombo and Kpong dam spillage and the flooding of certain parts of the Volta Region, the complainant developed a flyer with the inscription ‘North Tongu MP’s Disaster Donation Drive,’ with a short code 71375# requesting good Samaritans to donate in aid of the flood victims.
The prosecution stated that the 1st and 2nd accused persons with intent to defraud took copies of the complainant’s flyer on Facebook, modified the flyer, and inserted their respective phone numbers in the modified flyer.
“Holding themselves out as the complainant and causing the general public to wrongly believe they were the complainant, the 1st and 2nd accused persons published the fake and deceitful flyers on social media platforms requesting the general public to make cash donations into their mobile phone numbers 0535623416 and 0535364971 respectively, which each of the accused persons had stated on the fake and deceitful flyers,” the Prosecution stated.
The brief facts added that the 1st and 2nd accused persons again used the names and photographs of the complainant to create several social media accounts, personated the MP, and communicated with several people to solicit donations into their mobile money accounts.
“Through their acts of personation and publication of deceitful advertisement with the intent to defraud, the 1st and 2nd accused persons succeeded in causing members of the public to send to them sums of money,” the Court was told.
The Prosecution said, the complainant who chanced on the fake flyer on social media petitioned the National Signals Bureau and the accused persons were arrested.
“Both 1st and 2nd accused persons admitted to the offenses when interrogated. The investigation is still ongoing,” the Prosecution said.
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