A 41-year-old trader and hairdresser, Adjoa Nyarko, has been sentenced to five years in prison with hard labour by the Accra Circuit Court for defrauding multiple individuals in an employment scam.
The sentencing, handed down by Her Ladyship Justice Ellen Ofei-Ayeh, follows a lengthy trial in which Nyarko pleaded for leniency.
Nyarko faced charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretence, in violation of sections 23(1) and 131(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Despite her pleas, the court imposed a harsh sentence, citing the serious nature of the offenses.
The judge ordered a pregnancy test in compliance with Section 593(A) of Act 30, and the results, which were negative, were filed before sentencing.
Although Nyarko’s lawyer failed to appear, the judge proceeded with the case, giving the convict an opportunity to speak in her defense.
Nyarko, who is married with five children, asked for leniency, citing family hardship and her lack of knowledge of the total amount owed to the complainants.
However, the prosecution, led by ASP Raymond Ackom Dompeh, argued for a punitive sentence, emphasizing that Nyarko had made no restitution to the victims of her scam.
The judge sentenced Nyarko to five years imprisonment on each of two counts, with the sentences to run concurrently.
In addition, the court ordered her to repay the GH¢139,000 to the complainants within one month.
Nyarko has the right to appeal the judgment within a month.
Background of the Case
The prosecution detailed how Nyarko, along with two accomplices currently on the run, defrauded two complainants, Nana Yaw Barimah and Collins Atta Oteg, of GH¢139,000 in 2020.
The trio had promised to secure employment for the complainants’ relatives in the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), but after receiving the funds, they failed to deliver on their promise.
Nyarko was arrested at Asankare in the Ashanti Region after police investigations, during which she admitted to receiving the money but claimed she handed it over to her accomplices.
The police are still working to locate the other suspects involved in the scam.
The case serves as a stern warning against fraud, with authorities stressing the importance of restitution and deterrence of similar crimes.
