The Bono Regional Police Command has arrested eight suspects for allegedly assaulting a 21-year-old man during what they described as an initiation into internet fraud at Kotokrom in the Sunyani West Municipality.
The suspects reportedly told investigators that the assault was part of the process of introducing the victim to internet fraud, claiming they had undergone a similar experience themselves.
In a statement issued on October 9, the Ghana Police Service said a patrol team received a distress call at about 4:30 p.m. on October 4, reporting that a group of people was attacking a man at Kotokrom.
Officers who responded to the call found the victim, identified as Godstime Umukoro, with multiple marks of assault on his body. The eight suspects were arrested at the scene.
They have been identified as Peter Mbam, 24; Godwin Moses, 26; Humble Oweifah, 18; Osas Ogbemudia, 30; Samuel Aisosa, 22; Ashile Godbess, 24; Alexander Uyuo, 30; and Patrick Romans, 25.
During police interrogation, the suspects allegedly admitted to severely beating Mr Umukoro as part of his initiation into internet fraud, maintaining that they had been subjected to the same process before joining the operation.
Preliminary investigations have further indicated that the suspects were brought to Ghana by a man identified as Nwachukwu King Augustine, whom the police described as their chairman.
According to the police, the group allegedly targets victims by downloading photographs of foreign soldiers and using them to communicate with unsuspecting individuals. They reportedly pose as soldiers stationed at the war front in Yemen to gain their victims’ trust.
The police said money obtained from victims through the alleged scheme is paid into an account belonging to their boss.
Investigations into the case are ongoing.
