American Arrested In Accra For Defrauding Student Of GH¢7,000

An American, Forster Moore, who allegedly paraded himself as a lawyer and farmer to defraud a student of GH¢7,000 under the pretext of securing him a U.S visa has been put before the Accra Circuit Court.

The accused has been charged with forgery and defrauding by false pretence contrary to Section 131 of Act 29/60.

Moore, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, has been remanded in police custody to re-appear on February 18, 2013.

Chief Inspector Barnabas O. Yeboah told the court that the complainant was a student who resided at Dansoman, while the accused, who claimed to be an American citizen, lawyer and farmer, also lived at East Legon.

The prosecution said in June, 2012, the accused introduced himself to the complainant and his father as an agent to many American NGOs that were undertaking series of developmental projects in Ghana and to also assist students to travel abroad to work.

He said the accused managed to collect the complainant’s passport and GH¢6,000 and promised to secure him the US visa within two weeks.

Chief Inspector Yeboah said the accused informed the complainant that he posted his passport to the American Embassy but it got missing during the processing of documents.

He said the accused collected additional GH¢1,000 from the complainant and promised to secure him a new passport.

Chief Inspector Yeboah said on January 30, 2013 the accused took the complainant and three others to the American Embassy but the complainant was not given the said new passport.

The prosecution said the complainant became suspicious of the accused because he realised that the entire documents, including ECOBANK’s U.S Visa MRV Fee Payment slip, the accused was holding were forged and altered with blue ink.

Chief Inspector Yeboah said with the help of people around, the accused was arrested and handed over to the police, and during investigations the accused admitted the offence

Source: GNA