Five men and a woman, between the ages of 22 and 30 years, are standing trial for unauthorised transfer and interception of ECOBANK customers’ accounts.
They are Frank Effah, 25 and unemployed, Kwabena Agyapong, 30 and barber, Perlos Nyani aka Seth Baah, 30 and unemployed, Ebenezer Yaw Annin, 25 and unemployed, Aisha Ankoma Asumang, 22 and a student, and Nicholas Gyekye Apoctae alias Paygez, at large.
The accused persons are residents of Afrancho-Krobo, and Techiman-Takofiano.
They were arraigned before the court on conspiracy to commit a crime and unauthorised transfer and interception.
Their pleas are yet to be taken, and were remanded into police by an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, yesterday.
The trial court was told by the prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah, that the management of Ecobank Ghana, represented by Peter Nyaba, Head of Internal Audit, reported the case.
According to him, on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, Ecobank Ghana reported to the police about some unauthorised transactions on some of their customers’ accounts.
According to Ecobank, internal investigations of customers who fell victim to these unauthorised transactions had their SIM cards linked to the accounts.
He said these SIM cards had been swapped or replaced and issued to the perpetrators to enable them gain access into the customers’ accounts to transfer various sums of money.
The court was told that the accused persons transferred the customers’ funds into the mobile money wallet of pre-registered SIM cards.
Preliminary police intelligence revealed the location of the perpetrators around Assin Fosu and Kumasi.
He indicated that the accused persons’ leader was Nicholas Gyekye Apoctae, alias Paygez.
C/Ins Anquandah added that based upon intelligence received, the police proceeded to Kumasi and upon sustained surveillance arrested all five accused persons.
He stated that preliminary investigations also revealed that Nicholas Gyekye Apoctae alias Paygez, who is at large, was the brain behind the fraud.
The prosecutor continued that a search conducted on the suspects revealed Ecobank account opening slips, 72 Vodafone and MTN SIM cards and starter packs suspected to be pre-registered.
Some involvements of all the accused persons had also been established.
The court was told that the investigation was still ongoing to locate and arrest suspect Nicholas Gyekye alias Paygez.
Based on this, the prosecutor urged Mr. Acquah to remand the accused persons into police custody to further assist the investigation.
