GAF Recruitment Scam: Fashion designer convicted, mason remanded

An Accra Circuit Court has convicted a 53-year-old fashion designer who defrauded a teacher of GHC20,000.00 under the pretext of enlisting him into the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

Angelina Koranteng admitted conspiring with Festus Dzakpasu Walas, 44, mason, to dupe Mileba Godwin and was convicted on her own plea, but sentence was deferred to February 5, 2024.

However, Walas, her alleged accomplice, denied both offences and remanded into Police custody to return to the Court on February 5, 2024.

Police Chief Inspector Eric Pobee told the Court presided over by Mrs Kizita Naa Kowa Quarshie that Mileba, the teacher and complainant resided at Dzodze in the Volta Region.

He said Angelina, the convict and Walas were residents of Tseaddo, La-Accra.

In April, 2023, the complainant told a friend of his desire to be a senior military officer, thus, the friend introduced him to Walas for assistance, the prosecution told the Court.

It said Walas instructed the complainant to meet him at the 37 Military Hospital with the GH¢ 20,000.00 being the cost of the enlistment processing.

The Court heard that on April 20, 2023, the complainant met both Angelina and Walas at 37 Military Hospital, where Walas was introduced to the complainant by Angelina as the one who was going to assist the complainant to be enlisted into GAF.

Thereafter, the convict and the accused demanded and collected GH¢ 20,000.00 from the complainant, the prosecution said.

It said the two after collecting the money went into hiding and on November 10, 2023, a formal complaint was lodged with the Cantonments Police for Investigation.

Angelina and Walas were later arrested and they admitted the offences in their cautioned statements.

During investigations, she refunded GHC4,000.00 whilst Walas refunded GH¢ 1,700.00, the Court was told.

After investigations they were charged with the offences and put before court.