A driver who misrepresented himself as the son of Ghana’s former Electoral Commissioner (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan has been jailed 5 years for defrauding a prophetess and 12 others.
Augustine Yeboah was found guilty on the charge of defrauding by false pretense by the Circuit Court in Accra presided over by Her Honour Afia Owusua Appiah.
He was first arraigned on February 16, 2022 and after full trial, prosecution led by Chief Inspector Amoah Richard was able to prove the guilt of accused.
He was accordingly convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment after he also misrepresented himself as a travel agent to defraud his victims to the tune of GHc100, 000
Brief facts
The brief facts of the case as presented by the Prosecutor Chief Inspector Amoah Richard were that, the Complainants in the case are Helena Appiah a Prophetess of Mispa Gad Bible Ministry at Odumase Adianiyede, a suburb of Obuasi and 12 others.
He said, the accused person Augustine Yeboah is a driver and lives in Amasaman, Accra.
Chief Inspector Amoah Richard said, in December, 2021 complainant Helena Appiah got to know the accused person through one of her church members.
The Prosecutor said, the Accused who was not hearing from his brother in Spain got to know that he was dead through a vision from the complainant.
He said, the Accused then made a representation to the complainant that he was a travel agent who had assisted a lot of people to travel abroad including a ‘Kumawood’ actress Rose Mensah popularly known as Kyeiwaa
Chief Inspector Amoah Richard said, the accused further made a representation to the complainant that he was the son to the former chairman of the Electoral Commission Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan and that there was a travel package for interested persons to the United States of America at the cost 12,000.00).
Upon the representation made, complainant became convinced and informed her church members and 12 of them also showed interest.
The Prosecutor said, the Complainant then organized the people for the accused person to have a conference with them in Obuasi where he agreed to accept an amount of GHC7.000.00) instead of the GHc12,000.00) earlier charged.
Chief Amoah told the Court that, in total, the accused person collected an amount of GHc113, 500 from the complainant and her 12 members for travel documents and the attire for their trip to the United States of America.
He said, the accused person after collecting the said amount promised a week to deliver the necessary documents but he failed and started giving flimsy excuses to the complainants.
The case was reported to the Police and the accused person was arrested and Investigations conducted revealed that there was no travel package for the complainants.
Investigation also revealed that, the accused person was not in the position of assisting them to travel abroad as the time he collected the amount involved in the case.
It was further revealed that the accused person does not relate the former Chairman of the Electoral Commission.
Also, the representation he made to the complainants that he assisted ‘Kyeiwaa’ to travel abroad was found to be false.
After investigations, he was charged with the offence contained in the charge sheet and he is before this honourable court.
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