IMMIGRATION OFFICER IN COURT FOR FRAUD (MIRROR, PAGE 27)

From Samuel Duodu, Fiapre.

The Fiapre Circuit Court near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region has granted Charles Bediako, an officer with the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), bail in the sum of Gh¢90,000 with two sureties to be justified.
The accused, who is also the second-in-command of the Border Patrol Unit of the GIS at Aflao in the Volta Region, appeared before the court for defrauding Madam Regina Asiraa, unemployed, of £4,500 with a promise to secure her a visa and air ticket to enable her travel to the United Kingdom (UK) in July, 2004.
Bediako, who pleaded not guilty to the counts of intention to defraud and defrauding, would reappear before the court presided over by Mr John Kwadwo Owusu Gyamfi on March 10, 2008.
Chief Inspector Kingsley Baafi told the court that in July 2004, the complainant decided to travel to abroad and, therefore, discussed it with a witness in the case.
He said during the same period, the witness invited the complainant to his office where she was introduced to the accused as someone who intended to travel abroad.
The accused accepted to assist the complainant in her mission and asked her to pay a sum of £4,500 for a visa and air ticket to the UK, which the complainant did.
He said in December of the same year the accused secured the visa and ticket for the complainant, but unknown to her, the accused used another person’s invitation letter to prepare the visa but on reaching UK the complainant was arrested and repatriated to Ghana.
Chief Inspector Baafi said on her arrival, the complainant contacted the accused who promised to prepare another document for her but failed to do so.
The prosecutor said all attempts by the complainant to retrieve her money from the accused also proved futile.
He said the matter was, therefore, reported to the Brong Ahafo Regional Police.