Two farmers at Akyem Asuboa in the Eastern Region who posed as next of kin of their deceased relative, Godfred Bernard Adu, and attempted to collect his benefits from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) have been arrested.
They were nabbed by the management of the Oda District branch of the trust and handed over to the Oda Police.
The suspects, Francis Kwasi Adu and Edward Yaw Bempong, have been placed in police custody pending further investigations.
Confirming this to the Daily Graphic in Akyem Oda last Friday, the Oda Municipal Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Issah Mohammed Cantona, said in July 2014, Adu and Bempong applied to the Oda SSNIT office to claim the benefits of Adu, a former employee of the Ghana Cocoa Board.
He said the two suspects claimed that the deceased had no wife and children.
DSP Cantona said the Oda District Manager of SSNIT, Mr James Amon Kotey, and his investigator, Mr Kennedy Ayeh Nyinaku, became suspicious of the conduct of the two suspects and, upon a tip off, travelled to Assin Ngyeresi in the Central Region on July 9, 2014 to find out the truth about rumours that Adu had a son in that village.
He said after the SSNIT officials had held discussions with Adu�s former wife and his son, they invited them to the Oda District office of SSNIT on August 7, 2014 to meet the two suspects for questioning.
He said when the two suspects came face-to-face with Adu�s son at the SSNIT office last Thursday, in the presence of the district manager and the investigator, the suspects began to shiver during interrogation and pleaded for forgiveness and swore never to commit such a crime again.
DSP Cantona said Mr Kotey reported the matter to the Oda Police and the two suspects were arrested to assist in investigations.
He said Adu and Bempong would be put before court soon.
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