Kassin Mansuru Has Been Arrested

A 23-year-old man who allegedly used the Internet to dupe an American businessman of $90,000 under the pretext of supplying him with gold has been arrested by the Commercial Crime Unit (CCU) of the Ghana Police Service. The suspect, Kassin Mansuru, was arrested following a tip-off and he is currently assisting in investigations. Four accomplices, all Nigerians, are however, on the run. A Toyota Corolla saloon car which was bought by the suspect has been impounded by the police. According to the Commander of the CCU, Superintendent Yaa Tiwaa, on September 18,2009 one Lawrence Price, a US citizen, called at the office and reported that during August 2008, he had been contacted on the Internet by one Asia Nuru, a young Ghanaian lady, and they stared dating on the net. She said at a point Asia expressed interest in visiting the US to meet Price and he agreed to pay all the expenses to enable her to go to the US. He sent her an invitation letter and money for a passport, visa, a ticket and other travel expenses to make the journey possible. Supt Tiwaa said at that stage the said Asia introduced one Kassim Mansuru as an uncle who had been assisting her and asked Price to channel all the money for her through his account. But it turned out that Asia and Kassim were the same person. On the eve of her departure to the US, Asia sent a mail to Price informing him that she had just been informed by her late father�s lawyer that she had been left some gold.Asia claimed her late father had left 1,450 kilogrammes of gold bars and 100 kilogrammes of gold dust which were being kept by the United Foundation Security Company in Accra. She informed Price that they would need about $60,000 to clear the gold from the security company and ship it to him in the US. Consequently, in July this year he quickly wired $61,000 to Kassim through a bank in Accra to be used for the documentation, storage charges and shipment of the gold. Prior to that, she had sent him a letter purported to have come from the Geological Survey Department, which had tested the gold, and other documents from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Minerals Commission as well as import and export licences. After waiting in vain for the gold, Price sent a mail to Asia, who claimed the gold had been seized by one Capt Jerry Wilson of the Ghana Police who was demanding money before releasing it for shipment. Price ended up paying $90,000. The commander said after paying the money, Asia never sent the gold but always managed to come up with stories. At a point, Price realized that Asia was out to dupe him so he made a report to the police.