Nautical engineer jailed 60 days over visa fraud

A 56-year-old nautical engineer has been sentenced to 60 days imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court for fraud.

Richie Susu Awu was sentenced after he was found guilty of three counts of defrauding by false pretences at the end of the trial.

The court sentenced Awu to 60 days on each count. Sentences are to run concurrently.

Awu is said to have collected GhC86,000 from three persons under the pretence of securing them German visas in 2021 but failed.

The trial judge, Mr Isaac Addo, said he took into consideration the fact that the accused was a first-time offender, and had paid GHC30,000 to the three complainants.

“However, the court looked at the ascendency of visa fraud cases within its jurisdiction and the premeditated way the accused executed his plan,” he said.

The prosecution called ve witnesses to establish a case against Awu, who did not call any witnesses after testifying himself.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, told the court that the complainants resided at Sefwi, while the accused resided at Pokuase in Accra.

The first complainant was Jackson Mensah, a Mobile Money agent, the second, Ernest Opoku, was a farmer, and the third, Kwarteng Kwasi Cyprin, unemployed.

In October 2021, Mensah discussed with his brother-in-law, Kenneth Biney, that he wanted to travel abroad.

Biney linked up with one Baffour who also introduced Awu to the complainants as someone who could assist them in securing travelling documents to travel to Germany.

The prosecution said through phone conversations, that the complainants moved from Sefwi to Accra and met Awu at Achimota.

During their meetings, Awu showed them some visas he claimed to have secured for other people.

The complainants became convinced and Awu charged fees of GHC24,000, GHC24,000 and GHC30,400, respectively, with the assurance that he would secure them the German visas within three weeks.