Kojo Opare
A Tamale District Court presided over by Anthony Assah has sentenced a self-styled police investigator, Kojo Opare Richard to 150 penalty unit fine of GH¢1,500 or in default, serve 24-month prison term.
The suspect who pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding by false pretence; posing as a public officer was sentenced accordingly and whisked away to begin his jail term.
According to the police, he is expected face similar charges in Accra after he allegedly defrauded several unsuspecting individuals.
At the time of filing this report, police in Tamale were waiting for a warrant from a station in Accra for him to be transferred ahead of his prosecution on the said charges.
The 34-year-old fake police detective was arrested in Tamale a month ago after his nocturnal activities were uncovered by managers of TICCS Guest House.
The suspect claimed to management of the guest house upon checking in that he was called Kojo Boateng when arrested he disclosed to the police that his real name was Kojo Opare Richard.
A thorough search conducted in his effects uncovered a voter’s registration Identification Card (ID) with his portrait bearing the name, Joe Richie.
According to the facts of the case, the suspect booked a room at the guest house under the guise of being a police detective from Accra who was on official duties in the region. He however failed to pay his three-week accumulated bill of GH¢360.
Management of the facility had hints that he was planning to vacate their premises for another hotel and confronted him to settle his indebtedness, but he instead gave them his laptop and promised to pay them and retrieve the item later.
Dissatisfied with this arrangement, owners of the hotel took the laptop to the police station and lodged a complaint with the police about the conduct of the suspect.
He was immediately arrested and in his caution statement, admitted he was not a cop as claimed.
Police after interrogation retrieved a pair of handcuffs and a quantity of GH¢50 counterfeit notes but he claimed the handcuffs belonged to his friend who is a police officer but he could not identify him.
He was subsequently arraigned before a Tamale District Court and charged for stealing and illegal possession of police accoutrements.
Posts
