Why NAM1 is still stuck in Dubai – Police, EOCO explain

Contrary to expectations that a delegation of security and legal officers pursuing the case of seized Menzgold CEO, Nana Appiah Mensah in the United Arab Emirates, would secure his early return home, the Police Service and EOCO say his release has not been secured.

“It is the understanding of the Ghanaian delegation that Mr. Mensah faces Misdemeanor charges in the UAE and will be made available to Ghana upon the final determination of his current matter in the UAE. His case is next due for court on Feb 2, 2019”, a joint statement by the Police and the Economic and Organised Crime Office Friday evening explained.

The delegation, according to the joint statement, had been in the UAE between 16th and 18th of January 2019 with a mandate to assess the nature of the legal processes against Nana Appiah Mensah and to see to the most appropriate means by which Ghana could have custody of Mr. Mensah, also known as NAM1, to assist with investigations involving his company in Ghana.

But according to the statement, while the delegation was able to make contact with Mr. Mensah who “provided an extensive statement to Ghanaian security and legal officers to assist in investigations into the Ghana matter for further action,” his release was not secured.

The statement jointly signed by ACP David Eklu, Director-General of Public Affairs, Ghana Police Service and Mr. Abu Issah, Ag. Head of Legal and Prosecution of EOCO, said the two institutions “shall continue with investigations and processes aimed at bringing a resolution to the Ghana matter while following due process.”

Thousands of customers of the gold dealing firm have been stranded over the fate of their investments running into millions of cedis and have been baying for the head of the under siege CEO, who is reported to have travelled to Dubai early December last year in pursuit of his ‘locked up’ funds but was arrested by authorities there for the scamming of a Dubai based company of the sum of $51 million in a gold deal.

Graphic Online understands the alleged perpetrators of that fraud, a combination of Ghanaians and Nigerians, are known to NAM1 and Ghanaian security operatives, hence his 'seizure' in lieu of the refund of the money or the production of the suspects to face the music.

The joint EOCO-cum-Police statement said until NAM1’s exit from Ghana, he “was cooperating with EOCO as part of its investigations into a possible misdemeanor in breach of Banks and Specialized Deposit-Taking Institution. Act.2016 (Act 930) as reported to it by the Bank of Ghana (BOG). Upon a breakdown of cooperation EOCO employed other strategies including the use of associates and collaborating with other security agencies to make him available for further investigations. At the same time, persons in the UAE employed similar methods in getting Mr. Mensah to visit the UAE where he was subsequently apprehended.”