Three young men, including two footballers and an okada rider, have been convicted by the Assin Fosu District Court after being found responsible for defrauding a trader of GH¢38,450 through a fraudulent electronic money transaction.
The convicts are 24-year-old Francis Appiah, 24-year-old Emmanuel Oteng, also known as Flow Delli, and 21-year-old Emmanuel Antwi. According to Citi Newsroom, all three are residents of Assin Breku.
The court, presided over by His Worship Abdul Majid Iliasu, ordered the men to refund the full amount taken from the 26-year-old complainant, Shalean Stella Bamfo. The money was subsequently refunded in full.
How the mobile money fraud happened
The prosecution told the court that the incident occurred on July 21, 2026, at about 12:30 p.m.
According to Prosecutor Inspector Matilda Osaah Buabeng, Francis Appiah contacted the complainant and falsely told her that he had mistakenly transferred money to her.
The prosecution said Appiah kept the complainant engaged in a lengthy conversation before directing her to a nearby mobile money merchant.
She was subsequently deceived into transferring GH¢38,450 through e-cash to three MTN numbers registered in the names of Saar Hassana, Rebecca Bosiako Antwi and Sarah Gyeti Arthur.
Police investigation led to arrests
The court heard that Appiah later transferred GH¢6,290 to Emmanuel Antwi as his share of the proceeds.
The complainant later realised that she had been defrauded and reported the matter to the Central North Regional Police Cybercrime Unit.
Inspector Buabeng told the court that the three men were arrested at a hideout in Assin Breku following investigations that involved telecommunications companies, intelligence gathered by the police and a court order.
The court also heard that one of the accused admitted to the offence in a caution statement.
Court orders full refund
After hearing the case, the Assin Fosu District Court convicted the three men and ordered them to refund the GH¢38,450.
Citi Newsroom reported that the convicts subsequently refunded the entire amount.
In his ruling, His Worship Abdul Majid Iliasu noted that the three were first-time offenders and cautioned them against repeating the offence.
The judge warned that they could face imprisonment if they were arrested again for engaging in criminal activity. He also urged them to abandon fraudulent activities and pursue legitimate work.
Court commends cybercrime investigators
The judge commended the Central North Regional Police Cybercrime Unit for its efforts in investigating and combating cyber-related offences in the region.
The case highlights the role of electronic payment systems in modern commerce while also showing how fraudulent transactions can result in criminal investigations and court proceedings.
For users of mobile money and other electronic payment platforms, the case also reinforces the importance of carefully verifying unexpected payment requests and claims before transferring funds.
What the case means
The conviction brings the court proceedings against the three men to a conclusion, with the full GH¢38,450 refunded to the complainant.
The ruling also underscores the importance of continued efforts by law enforcement agencies to investigate cyber-related fraud and protect users of Ghana’s increasingly digital financial services.
Source: Citi Newsroom
