Con Woman Arrested

The Akyem Oda Police have arrested a 29-year-old woman, Gladys Akua Amponsah, for defrauding two women of GH�6,310. Gladys is alleged to have duped Akua Addae of GH�3,910 at the Oda branch of Barclays Bank last Monday and another woman, Jennifer Okyere, GH�2,400 at the Oda branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) last week. Briefing the Daily Graphic in Oda, the Oda Municipal Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Issah Mohammed Cantona, said around 10 a.m.Monday, Akua Addae was sent by Mr Ashitey Neequaye to the Oda branch of Barclays Bank to deposit GH�3,910 for him. He said the suspect, who is unemployed and native of Agona Swedru, convinced Akua Addae that she (Gladys) was an employee of the bank and could assist her to deposit the money.ASP Cantona said Akua Addae welcomed Gladys�s assistance and handed over the money to the suspect. He said in order to swindle Akua Addae, Gladys gave GH�10 to her to buy some handkerchiefs for the bank manager while she (Gladys) went through the process of depositing the money at the bank for her. According to the police commander, when Akua Addae returned to the bank with the handkerchiefs, Gladys was nowhere to be found. ASP Cantona said Akua Addae sought the assistance of the police guard on duty at the bank, Lance Corporal Moses Agyepong, to trace Gladys�s whereabouts. He said Lance Corporal Agyepong rang policemen on duty at the two Oda Police barriers to help arrest the suspect after the complainant had described Gladys�s physical features, the clothes she wore and her hair-do to the police. He said fortunately, the policemen on barrier duty at Akyem Asanteman arrested Gladys who was travelling on a mini bus from Oda to Agona Swedru. He said when the suspect was searched, the money was found in her bag. According to the commander, Gladys was sent to the Oda Police Station where the complainant identified her as the one who had defrauded her. He said during police interrogation, Gladys admitted the offence and when asked if she belonged to a syndicate, she replied that she operated alone.ASP Cantona said Gladys used the same trick to defraud Jennifer to the tune of GH�2,400 at the Oda branch of the GCB last week. When Gladys was arrested last Monday and sent to the Oda Police Station, Jennifer identified her as the one who had duped her at the Oda branch of the GCB. Meanwhile, the Oda District Magistrate Court, presided over by Mr Albert Annor-Owusu, has remanded Gladys into prison custody to reappear on June 7, 2012.