Court orders arrest of Agya Koo

The Accra Circuit Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of popular Ghanaian actor and comedian, Agya Kofi Adu also known as Agya Koo for defrauding by false pretence.

The warrant was issued in Accra on January 8, 2013 commanding the police to apprehend Agya Koo and produce him before the court to answer to charges of fraud levelled against him.

But the ace comedian, who had initially cut off the call with the explanation that he was busy at work, later called to deny collecting such quantum of money from the complainant although he admitted knowing the complainant.

The Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Prosper Agblor told Graphic Online that a report of fraud was made against the suspect by Mr Stephen Kwarteng who alleged that the comedian took Gh¢3,800 from him under the pretext of helping him travel to the United States of America.

According to Mr Agblor, although the warrant was placed at all exit and entry points in the country to prevent the suspect from travelling out of the country, Agya Koo managed to beat immigration officials at the Kotoka Internal Airport and travelled to Abu Dhabi to watch the friendly match between Ghana and Tunisia.

The Director General indicated that the complainant reported to the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the CID that somewhere in 2011, he (complainant) expressed the desire to travel abroad and discussed the issue with a friend who introduced Agya Koo as a friend who could help him realise his dream.

Thereafter, the complainant and his friend called Agya Koo to inform him about the intention of Mr Kwarteng to travel to the USA.

Mr Agblor said Agya Koo later invited the two friends to his house at Alhaji Tabora, a suburb of Accra, for further discussions.

He said it was during the subsequent discussions that Agya Koo told them that he had helped a lot of people to travel outside the country and promised to take him out in January 2012.

According to Mr Agblor, the complainant claimed that on the day of the meeting, Agya Koo indicated that he was leaving for Kumasi and allegedly requested that the complainant brought GHc3, 800 for processing of the documents.

He said the complainant did not have the money at that time so he later took it to the Takyiman residence of Agya Koo in Kumasi, after which Agya Koo promised to process the necessary documents for the visa at the American embassy.

Two months later, Agya Koo called to inform the complainant that his visa was ready for collection at the embassy and requested that the complainant met him under a tree at the round-about close to the American embassy.

Mr Agblor said when the complainant got to the roundabout; he met 10 other people who were also waiting for Agya Koo to pick up their visas.

He said Agya Koo later showed up with a bag full of documents claiming to be the visa application forms and passports and asked them to wait under the tree for him to go into the embassy and meet the consular for their visas.

He said after three hours of waiting under the three, Agya Koo called that he was at Busy Internet at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and requested his “clients” to meet him there.

According to Mr Agblor, it was at the Busy Internet that Agya Koo informed them that they had been refused the American visas but quickly promised to secure them visas to either Canada or Australia.

The CID chief said after that meeting, the complainant claimed that anytime he called Agya Koo, he (Agya Koo) kept on giving one explanation or another.

According to the Director of the Anti Human Trafficking Unit of the CID, Superintendent Mrs Patience Quaye the report was made on January 4, 2013 and all efforts to get Agya Koo to report and assist in investigations failed so they took the matter to court and informed him about it but he still did not show up so the court issued a warrant for his arrest.

Meanwhile, according to a source at the CID headquarters, Agya Koo has since called, promising to avail himself to the police Friday.