Fake Ghanaian Professor Exposed in South Africa

....Agency could pay for fraudulent CV
A Johannesburg recruitment agency could be forced to repay more than R100000 in commission after allegedly recommending an illegal immigrant with fake qualifications for a top job.

Network Recruitment was paid R142500 for selecting Professor James Relove Tamakloe as the best person for the post of chief executive officer for the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority.

Within a week of him getting the job, the Sunday Times had exposed Tamakloe for having a string of fake degrees. He was suspended a day after our expos, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. He has already been paid a salary of more than R83000 over two months.

The University of Ghana, where Tamakloe claims to have obtained a BA Honours and a Masters in English, told the Sunday Times this week that his qualifications should be considered as pieces of forgery.

Theophilus Tabi, the universitys deputy registrar, said: This Tamakloe has never been one of our students. And he is lying about his qualifications.

The Wholesale and Retail Seta, which is linked to the Department of Labour, wants its money back from Network Recruitment, alleging the agency failed to:

• Verify the authenticity of Tamakloes qualifications;
• Establish that Tamakloe was not a South African citizen or legal immigrant; and
• Ensure Tamakloe produced original copies of his degrees.

The Setas deputy board chairman, Tshepo Motlana, said: It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that Tamakloe is not exactly who he claims to be. We have a right to demand our money back from the agency.

Karen Cook, a branch manager for Network Recruitment, would not explain how the agency recommended Tamakloe or whether a reference check was done. You write rubbish. Tamakloe is a well-qualified person, Cook said .

The Sunday Times unmasked Tamakloe on March 24 and revealed how his CV boasted that he had a PhD, an MBA and BA Honours degree. When confronted, Tamakloe admitted his CV was fraudulent as he was only in the process of registering for a PhD. He blamed Network Recruitment for forwarding a fraudulent CV to the Seta.

When approached for comment about the latest development, Tamakloe said: I am not prepared to say anything to you. Stop digging up dirt about my life and stop calling me.

The Sunday Times has also established that Tamakloe was a senior English lecturer at Technikon South Africas main campus in Florida, Johannesburg, for more than nine years.

Technikon South Africa confirmed this week that Tamakloe had used the same CV when applying for a job with them.