A 25-year-old Sound Engineer, Mark Ofori Amankwah, is currently in police custody for allegedly defrauding Mabel Owusu of GH¢50,000.00 under the pretence of securing a U.S. visa for her.
Charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and defrauding by false pretences, Mark Amankwah appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court on January 26, 2025 where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court, presided over by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, has granted the police the authority to restrict Mark Amankwah’s movements, as investigations continue.
The prosecutor has been instructed to submit disclosures and witness statements by February 3, 2025 in preparation for a Case Management Conference.
The alleged crime also involves Bright Kofi Amankwah, reported as Mark’s father, who is currently at large.
Details of the Case
According to court documents, the complainant, Mabel Owusu, became acquainted with Bright Kofi Amankwah in 2023 while she was in Egypt.
Bright introduced himself as a travel agent capable of securing a U.S. visa. Mabel paid GH¢50,000.00 for the promised services, transferring part of the money to a business account under “Kandabea Travel and Tour.”
Bright later introduced Mark as his son and tasked him to handle Mabel’s travel documents. Mark prepared and submitted fake documents to the U.S. Embassy, which were immediately flagged as fraudulent. He subsequently took possession of Mabel’s passport and handed it over to his father.
Efforts to contact Bright proved futile, prompting Mabel to report the matter to the police. Investigations led to Mark’s arrest at Akyem Tafo in the Eastern Region. In his caution statement, Mark admitted to working on the instructions of his father, but denied knowledge of the fraud.
The police are pursuing Bright Kofi Amankwah to assist in the ongoing investigation.
Court Strikes Out Land Guard Case Against Two Accused Persons
Meanwhile, the Dansoman Circuit Court has dismissed a case involving Dominic Asamoah Danquah, 45, and Ebenezer Martey, 48, who were charged with conspiracy, trespass, and unlawful damage.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, withdrew the case on January 22, 2025, resulting in the discharge of the accused persons.
Case Overview
The charges stemmed from a land dispute at Martey Tsuru, Spintex, where the accused, along with others, allegedly trespassed on a 0.24-acre property belonging to the late Daniel Ansah.
Witnesses claimed the suspects demolished structures on the land, causing damage estimated at GH¢247,009.45 according to a valuation report by the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited.
While Dominic admitted to clearing the land for development, Ebenezer denied involvement, claiming he was present only as a representative of the Martey Tsuru family.
The police continue investigations into the activities of the other individuals involved.
