Journalist, Others Granted Bail Over Fraud

A Kumasi Circuit Court has committed four people including a journalist to a GH¢5,000.00 bail with two sureties each over an alleged attempt to dupe Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai, a Breast Care Specialist.

The incident, which occurred in Kumasi involved f GH¢ 300,000.00.

Timothy Antwi-Otoo, a journalist with Atinka FM, Accra; Mike Osei Bobbie Kesse, records officer of the Peace and Love Hospital; Prince Kwarteng and Awuni Azure, both musicians are also facing additional charges of conspiracy and stealing.

The accused have denied the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretence and stealing and would reappear on Monday, June 1.

Marcus Kofi Otabil, a journalist and an accomplice of the four, is at large.

Superintendent Emmanuel A. Akunnor told the Court presided over by Mr John Ekow Mensah that the complainant, whose name was not mentioned, is an accountant at the Peace and Love Hospital.

He said it all began in 2014, when Kesse, a records officer at the Hospital, conspired with Kwarteng and Azure both musicians staying at Agona- Bobikuma in the Central Region to commit the crime.

He said in what looked like blackmail, Kesse told the others that the Hospital’s branch in Accra had no accreditation with the National Health Insurance Scheme and has been operating fraudulently under the scheme.

Supt Akunnor said Kesse then stole 27 files from the hospital and armed with this as evidence, Otabil, the fugitive accomplice, called Dr Wiafe Addai, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital and demanded the money to stop them from leaking the information.

He went ahead with the payment arrangement and gave Antwi-Otoo’s bank account’s number 000090100399155 at the Universal Merchant Bank, the Adabraka branch in Accra and asked that the said money be lodged there.

After several persuasions from the CEO, the alleged conspirators opted for cash settlement and agreed to meet the CEO at Assin-Manso in the Central Region.

The complainant then lodged a formal complaint at the Zongo Police in Kumasi and moved together with the police to Assin-Manso, where Azure and Kwarteng were arrested as the cash was being handed to Kwarteng.

A search on them revealed the stolen files.