Pastor, 3 others arrested for fraud in Ghana

Four people, including a pastor, have been arrested for allegedly defrauding the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited of GH¢1,671,244.

The principal architect, Frank Kojo Eshun, 44, is said to have posed as a national service person posted to BOST, while his three accomplices and five others now at large undertook the forgery of the signature and all the documentation needed to facilitate the withdrawal of the said amount.
The accomplices are Pastor John Kwesi Akorle, 44, of the Word Charismatic Chapel at Abossey Okai; Alfred Kwamena Abbew, 41, and Nana Amoako, 27.
Eshun reportedly used a National Service posting letter number NSSGUG3O6811 bearing the name, Ato Kwamina Ghartey to gain entry into the company.
Eshun, after being assigned to the Finance Department of BOST, is said to have managed to divert cheques meant for the company into a fictitious account bearing the same account name and details he and his accomplices had opened.
The four suspects were arrested at their various hideouts in Accra and Takoradi.
Briefing journalists in Accra yesterday, the Accra Central Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police Mr Joseph Oklu Gyamera, said the suspects had been into that business over the past two years.
He said Eshun and his accomplices, after successfully withdrawing a total of GH¢1,386,700 from the account, shared it among themselves, with each using his share to open individual bank accounts.
Suspect Eshun
According to Mr Gyamera, Eshun, after receiving his share of the booty, managed to buy five luxurious cars and gave part of the money to his wife to deposit in her bank accounts.
He said the vehicles had been retrieved and were in police custody.
Mr Gyamera added that the police were able to recover GH¢213,111 and $4,700 from the various bank accounts operated by Eshun's wife.
Pastor Akorle
Mr Gyamera said Pastor Akorle, after investigations, admitted to having spent GH¢68,750 of the GH¢100,000 he received as his share of the booty.
He said Pastor Akorle also admitted to having used GH¢27,000 out of his share to buy two plots of land at Amasaman and a Benz saloon car at GH¢15,000.
Nana Amoako
He said investigations revealed that Amoako had prepared the forged National Service posting letter and gave it to Eshun to present to the BOST management.
Abbew
According to Mr Gyamera, investigations revealed that Abbew had used his photograph, along with other documents, to facilitate the opening of the fictitious bank accoun