Data Analyst jailed two years for fraud

An Adentan Circuit Court has sentenced a 34-year-old Data Analyst to two years imprisonment for defrauding a businessman of GHC11,800 under the pretext of securing him a job at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

Anthony Dunyo is said to have presented himself to the complainant as a close Associate of Mr. Francis Asenso -Boakye, Minister of Works and Housing and Member of Parliament of Bantama.

Dunyo claimed he could secure jobs for people in other institutions through the Minister but failed.

Investigations showed that Dunyo was not an employee of the Ministry.

Charged with defrauding by false pretences, Dunyo pleaded guilty with an explanation before the court presided over by Mrs. Sedinam Awo Balokah.

Dunyo informed the court that he had worked with the NPP Campaign team at the National Head office and that among the team was one Mr. Gideon who gave him job offers.

According to him, Mr. Gideon could not offer him the job as promised and admitted that he had refunded GHC2,000 to the Police, which the case investigator confirmed.

The court after listening to his explanation held that the accused person’s explanation confirmed his guilt and convicted him on his own plea.

The court further ordered the prosecution to give the GHC 2,000 refunded by the accused to the complainant.

The prosecution led by Inspector Gloria Ayim narrated that the accused person, now a convict, was a resident of Okponglo and the complainant, Mr Foster Gbeddie, was residing at Amanfrom.

Inspector Ayim said Dunyo met the complainant in the year 2021 and he (Dunyo) introduced himself as a staff of the Ministry of Works and Housing and a close associate of the Minister of Works and Housing and MP for Bantama, Mr Francis Asenso Boakye.

According to the prosecution, Dunyo told the complainant that the Minister could help the complainant and other relatives to secure jobs at various government institutions.

The prosecutor said had Dunyo informed the complainant of a job vacancy at the Ghana Export Promotion Agency (GEPA) and demanded GHC10,000 for the offer and he had asked the complainant to make an initial deposit of GHC5,000.

It said the complainant met Dunyo at Adenta Shell Filling Station and made a payment of GHC4,000 for a friend known as Honesty for a job vacancy at GEPA.

The prosecution said Dunyo promised to secure the job within eight weeks.

After six weeks, the Prosecutor said Dunyo approached the complainant again and informed him that there was another vacancy at the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for a university graduate.

It said Dunyo charged the complainant GHC12,000 and demanded a deposit of GHC6,000 from one Teye who showed interest.

After eight weeks, the prosecution said Dunyo came up with another job vacancy with Bui Power Authority and the complainant feigned interest because the slot was for an Auditor position.

The prosecution said the complainant then gave him GHC1,800, which Dunyo claimed he had handed over to Mr. Asenso Boakye.

The Prosecutor said after several months of waiting for the jobs, the complainant went to the Ministry of Works and Housing to enquire about Dunyo and discovered that he was not a staff of the Ministry.

According to the Prosecutor, Dunyo also failed to answer the complainant’s call.

On May 12, this year, the complainant reported the matter to the Police, and Dunyo was arrested.

During investigations, the prosecution said the accused person admitted collecting GHC11,800 from the complainant under the pretext of securing jobs for him and others at GEPA, GIS, and Bui Power Authority.

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The prosecution said Dunyo promised to refund the money within a month but he only refunded GHC2,000 to the Police.