A 48-year-old teacher, Elijah Phinehas Ayitey Okine, has been arraigned before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding five individuals, including a mobile money vendor and a couple, of a total sum of GH¢294,000 and US$3,500 under the pretence of securing them Canadian visas and work permits.
Elijah Okine, who allegedly conspired with one Eugene Oppong, who is currently at large and believed to be in Finland, pleaded not guilty to five counts of defrauding by false pretence and one count of conspiracy to commit crime.
According to Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Kwadwo Aboagye, between 2023 and 2024 the accused persons allegedly presented themselves as facilitators of Canadian visa and job placements.
They targeted their victims, mostly residents of Abeka-Lapaz and Akweteyman, through their association with MAB International Nursing School atDarkuman, where Okine was a teacher.
The victims, identified as Lydia Ofori, a mobile money vendor, Doreen OseiAppiah, businesswoman, Dorothy Eunson Ofori, businesswoman and Mr.&Mrs. Nicholas Bassel, a nurse and electrician respectively were each convinced to pay significant sums to secure Canadian travel documents.
Each of the first three complainants allegedly paid GH¢90,000 while the couple paid US$3,500 and GH¢24,000.
Payments were made through a GTBank account under the name Reliance Frontier Ltd, which police traced to Oppong, the absconded co-conspirator.
After failing to fulfil their promise and going into hiding, Okine and Oppong became unreachable.
The victims, frustrated and stranded in their dashed hopes of migrating, lodged a complaint with the police on August 4, 2025.
Okine was later lured out of hiding by undercover investigators posing as new clients seeking similar visa assistance.
He was arrested upon surfacing and reportedly confessed during interrogation that he had indeed collected the monies, but claimed to have handed them over to Oppong, who has since relocated to Finland.
Court Proceedings
On Friday, Her Honour BasiliaAdjei-Tawiah, presiding over the Dansoman Circuit Court, granted bail to the accused, in the sum of GH¢80,000 with two sureties, both of whom must be justified.
As part of his bail conditions, Okine is to deposit all travel documents, including his passport, with the court registry and report to the case investigator every Friday until further notice.
Charges
The accused faces the following charges under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29):
Count One: Conspiracy to Commit Crime – Defrauding by False Pretence (Section 23(1) and 131(1))
Counts Two to Five: Defrauding by False Pretence (Section 131(1)) — involving specific complainants and the fraudulent sums collected under false promises
The case has been adjourned to allow for further investigations while efforts are underway to track and repatriate Oppong from Finland.
Police investigators confirmed that the case is still under active investigation and encouraged any additional victims who may have fallen prey to similar schemes to come forward.
