A 42-year old man, Isaac Nana Wireko Ampem, has been arrested by the police for defrauding 24 people, including 12 footballers.
Ampem is alleged to have collected monies ranging from GH¢800 to GH¢2,000 from the footballers who are aged between 12 and 18 on the pretext of helping them to travel to Sweden and South Africa to ply their trade.
He is also said to have collected various sums of money from his other victims with the promise to assist them to travel abroad but failed to deliver on his promises.
Suspect posed as football agent
The Baastona Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police (C/Supt) Mr Baba Adamu, said the suspect, who claimed to be a football agent, told some youth at Baatsona and its environs that he was recruiting footballers for teams in Sweden and South Africa.
He said Ampem told the victims that they would be travelling by June 30, 2015 but failed to fulfil his promise.
Mr Adamu said one of the victims told the police that he was asked by the suspect to invite more of his friends as there were more spots for footballers.
He said Ampem, who also collected between Gh¢300 and Gh¢800 for the processing of travel documents and passports for the victims, went into hiding when the date for the trip was due.
Ampem vamoosed
“The suspect left the guest house where he was lodging at Baastona and all efforts made by the victims to retrieve their money proved abortive, Mr Adamu said.
He said the victims lodged a complaint with the police and while investigations were ongoing, Ampem was spotted at his hideout and was subsequently arrested on July 26, 2015.
“He admitted collecting the monies and passports from the complainants in his caution statement to the police and will soon be put before court,” Mr Adamu said.
Source: Graphic Online