The Accra Circuit Court 3 has convicted and sentenced Lawyer Daniel Opare Aseidu and Elizabeth Arthur to three years imprisonment each, in hard labour for defrauding by false pretense.
The court presided over by Her Honour Susana Eduful ruled that in addition to the sentence, the two accused persons will pay a fine of 1000 penalty units (Gh¢12 per person) or serve additional 2 years if they default in payment.
Prosecuting, Detective Corporal Emmanuel Gyamfi Yeboah narrated that the complainant, Benjamin Kofi Okyere is an electrician and resided at Dawhenya in Accra whiles the accused Elizabeth Arthur Adjei [Maa Lizzy], Prince Armah alias Paa Kwesi, David Opare Aseidu and Emmanuel Kofi Dadzie are owners of God Kids Orphanage residing at Kasoa and a Driver who is currently at large.
Detective Corporal Yeboah said on April 2015, Prince Armah, a friend of the complainant informed him that there is a job opportunity and that his mother, Elizabeth Arthur Adjei alias Maa Lizzy would be the one to facilitate the documentation for the travel.
He continued that the complainant expressed interest as the opportunity would enable him to travel with his family.
The complainant was asked to pay Five thousand Ghana cedis (Gh¢ 5,000) which would be used to procure their passports and other travelling documents for which the complainant was able to pay GH¢ 4,000 as part payment.
The complainant was later introduced to Emmanuel Kofi Dadzie by Elizabeth Arthur as her Director who will assist in the documentation.
D/CPL Yeboah told the court that after a while, Elizabeth Arthur Adjei called the complainant and informed him that the documentation was all ready but the complainant’s wife could not travel because she was pregnant and could only travel after delivery and also the complainant could also travel after three days because there was a problem with his passport which must be worked on but their son who was a year and a half then, could travel because there was nothing wrong with his documents and that the white man to take them to Canada would go ahead with the boy.
He continued that after the three days promised, the complainant went back to Elizabeth Arthur and Daniel Opare Aseidu and was directed to Emmanuel Kofi Dadzie who handed over a document to the complainant and asked him to keep it until his travel documents are ready.
Benjamin Kofi Okyere the complainant who was not convinced about the explanation showed the said documents to his friend and after reading, was made to understand that his child has been adopted.
The complainant then reported the matter to Devtraco Police Station and Elizabeth Arthur and Emmanuel Kofi Dadzie were arrested during which Emmanuel mentioned Prince Armah as the one who assisted in the adoption process and was also arrested.
D/CPL Yeboah said after their arrest, Elizabeth Arthur refunded to the police a cash sum of GH¢ 4,400 and a Ghanaian Passport with the number G1175955 belonging to the complainant.
