An Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday revoked a bench warrant issued for the arrest of a military officer allegedly involved in a GH₵136,000 recruitment fraud.
This was after Captain Abel Nartey appeared before the court together with his lawyers.
Capt. Nartey‘s defence counsel pleaded with the court to grant his client bail because they were informed of the arrest warrant through a publication.
According to the defence counsel, Capt. Nartey appeared in court because he did not disregard the law, adding that the defendant would not interfere with police investigations when granted bail.
The defence attorney argued that Capt. Nartey was not a flight risk.
Following the defence counsel’s submission, the court withdrew the bench warrant and granted Capt. Nartey to self-recognisance bail.
The court ordered Capt. Nartey is to report to the Regional Criminal Investigations Department for further investigation.
Presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, the court, on July 5, 2024, issued a warrant for Capt. Nartey’s arrest.
This was after the Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, informed the court that Capt. Nartey had been repeatedly invited by the Regional Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police to assist in the investigation but had declined.
The prosecution said that a wireless signal was transmitted to the Military Police and Army Headquarters demanding that Capt. Nartey was brought in for questioning, but no results were achieved.
On July 5, 2024, the prosecution updated the charge sheet and facts, and Clement Ayomah, who was on trial alongside Capt. Nartey pled not guilty to counts of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by pretence.
Capt. Nartey has also pleaded not guilty to the same charges.
The prosecution’s case was that the complainant, George Ofori Amoako, is a trader residing in Darkuman.
It said Mr Ayomah is a military officer stationed at Burma Camp, while Capt. Nartey is stationed at the Training and Doctrine Command in Teshie.
The prosecution claimed that in 2021, one Vivian introduced Mr Ayomah to the complainant as a military officer who had recruitment slots in the armed services.
It said the complainant expressed interest in the slots and contacted Ayomah for assistance.
Mr Ayomah allegedly told the complainant that he and Capt. Nartey had many protocol slots in the security services.
The court heard that Mr Ayomah collected GH₵136,000 from the complainant and gave GH₵120,000 to Captain Nartey to enlist 12 people into the Ghana Armed Forces, seven into the Ghana Police Service and three into the Ghana Immigration Service.
The prosecution said Mr Ayomah kept the remaining amount.
However, after taking the money, Mr Ayomah failed to fulfil his promise and began playing hide-and-seek with the complainant.
The prosecution said in March 2023, a report was made to the police and Mr Ayomah was arrested.
In Mr Ayomah’s caution statement, he admitted to collecting money from the complainant and mentioned that some of the money was given to Capt. Nartey.
The prosecution said Mr Ayomah had since refunded GH₵50,000.
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