Fake police officer granted GH¢70,000 bail over fraud

An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GH¢70,000.00 bail with two sureties to a fake police officer who allegedly defrauded his fiancée of GH¢62,200.

The Court presided over by Mr K.K Obiri Yeboah ordered that the sureties should be family members.

Narh Coffie who posed as a police officer with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police Headquarters, denied taking GH¢62,200.00 from Ellen Nyarko for feigning to be involved in an accident and as such needed the amount for medical attention.

He will make his next appearance on July 28, 2022.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ASP) Mr Emmanuel Nyamekye told the Court that Ellen was the Complainant and a businesswoman resident at Kwashieman in Accra. 

Coffie, 47, is also a businessman and a resident of Accra Newtown, in the Greater Accra Region. 

ASP Nyamekye said in August 2021, Coffie, the accused person, met the complainant at Tudu where the accused was dressed in civilian attire holding a set of handcuffs. 

Hes said the accused person introduced himself to the complainant as a police officer stationed at the CID Headquarters but currently on attachment at the Airport police station. 

The prosecution said the accused then proposed love to the complainant which she accepted. 

The Court heard that the complainant thinking she was dealing with a police officer, exchanged contact with him and started an intimate relationship with him. 

ASP Nyamekye said during their relationship, the accused feigned and told the complainant that he was involved in an accident at Achimota-Circle Road and had been rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for treatment. 

Again, the accused made the complainant speak with a lady on the phone who claimed to be the mother who had just returned from the USA and pleaded with the complainant to send money for the accused person's medical expenses with a promise of paying back in Dollars, he told the Court. 

ASP Nyamekye said the accused person again, made the complainant to speak with a gentleman on phone supposed to be his father at the hospital who also confirmed that indeed his son had been involved in an accident. 

The prosecution said all the phone calls were done via the accused person's contact numbers, adding that the supposed father prevented the complainant from visiting the accused at the hospital with an excuse that the son cannot talk due to the accident and there would not be accommodation for her.

The alleged father continued that all that was needed was for the complainant to send money for the treatment, the Court heard.

ASP Nyamekye said the Complainant, therefore, sent GHS62,200.00 in tranches to two Vodafone cash to wallet numbers with the hope that his mother would give her dollars for repayment. 

He said Coffie, after receipt of the money, ceased communication with the complainant which led to her to report the case to the Police and the investigation led to the arrest of the accused.

ASP Nyamekye said during the investigation, it was established that, the accused never had an accident and his supposed parents who spoke to the complainant on phone were not his biological parents. 

After the investigation, the accused person was arraigned.

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