We are deeply troubled by the recent news of Bernard Oduro Takyi, a businessman, who has been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court for alleged fraudulent activities. Takyi is accused of defrauding two individuals of $27,000 with the promise of securing USA visas for them. The charges against him include forging embarkation and disembarkation stamps of various countries in the complainants' passports, as well as creating fraudulent letters from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to endorse them as strategic partners for real estate investments under the government's IDIF Policy.
Takyi faces two counts of defrauding by false pretenses and three counts of forgery of official documents, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Maxwell Oppong, vehemently opposed granting bail to Takyi. The court, presided over by Mr. Samule Bright Acquah, has adjourned the case to February 12, 2024.
The complainants, Gabriel Kwame Ntim and Prince Kofi Osei, who work as a mechanic and personnel of the Electricity Company of Ghana, respectively, had informed Takyi of their plans to travel to the USA in 2023. Takyi assured them of obtaining visas within three months, convincing them to pay $13,000 and $14,000 on April 19 and May 31, 2023, respectively.
However, the visas were later revoked by the USA Embassy in Madagascar after detecting the forgery. The prosecution detailed how Takyi forged entry and exit stamps from countries like Singapore, Mauritius, Turkey, and South Africa without the complainants' consent. Takyi then submitted the falsified documents to the Regional USA Embassy in Madagascar, leading to granted visas for the complainants. Upon discovery of the forgery, the visas were revoked on December 22, 2023, prompting Takyi's arrest.
This case serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of conducting due diligence and verifying the authenticity of individuals or entities offering services related to travel and immigration. We hope that justice will prevail for the affected individuals, and that this serves as a cautionary tale for others who may seek to engage in similar fraudulent activities.
We will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as it progresses through the legal system.
-By Aisha Yakubu | Ghana Crimes
