Court remands man, 28 over military enlistment scam
The Sunyani Circuit Court A has remanded Akwasi Banahene, 28 of Abesim, near Sunyani for his involvement in a fraudulent military enlistment.
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Banahene, also known as Reindorf Boamah allegedly succeeded in collecting a total of GH¢20,250 from four prospective recruits from Twifo Praso in the Central Region after issuing them with enlistment letters with Ghana Armed Forces letterheads.
The four victims are William Kodzo Dapaah, James Akoetey, Philip Atali and Joseph Besse Candy Mawuyenga.
Banahene, who was arrested at his hideout at dawn at Abesim, near Sunyani on Wednesday was put before the court the same day.
He is to reappear before the court on January 28, 2016.
Briefing
Briefing the Daily Graphic about the matter, the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Christopher Tawiah explained that the police had information from the victims that Banahene approached them with the assurance that he could assist them to be enlisted into the military.
According to them, he informed them that he had been authorised to enlist persons who were interested to join the military.
He said Banahene collected GH¢2,000 each from the four victims after they had expressed interest and after taking the money, he made the complainants to accompany him to the Sunyani Municipal Hospital where he had arranged with a quack doctor to perform HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B medical checks on them.
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More demands
Banahene continued to demand more money from the prospective recruits and managed to persuade them for a meeting at Burma Camp, Accra and succeeded in collecting other sums of monies from each of them.
In all Banahene collected GH¢6,000 from Dapaa, GH¢6,250 from Akoetey, GH¢2,000 from Atali and GH¢6,000 from Mawuyega.
Fake admission letters According to ASP Tawiah, on a later date, the victims were issued with fake admission letters for training at the Fourth Battalion of Infantry.
The admission letters asked the victims to bring along student mattresses, pillows, blankets, cutlasses, bags, buckets, provisions such as Milo, Nido, and sugar in addition to pens and notebooks.
They were also directed to bring their original birth certificates, original result slips, and original testimonials from their schools for inspection and national identity cards (NHIS or Voters Ids).
Advice
The arrest of Banahene comes a few days after an ex-soldier, Francis Kunlen was arrested by the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command for duping potential police recruits in the region.
The Public Affairs Department of the Command has therefore advised the general public to always stick to the general information in the newspapers, especially the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times and not individuals for enlistment into any of the security agencies.
Writer’s email: nanadu63@gmail.com/emmanuel.gyamerah@graphic.com.gh