An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 38-year-old private bailiff to four years imprisonment in hard labour for forging the signature of a retired judge for an attempted fraudulent transaction.

Kojo Budu Jackson forged a district court order on certificate of divorce under the hand of a former judge of the Ejisu District Court in the Ashanti Region.

Jackson denied the offence (forgery of judicial service document) but later changed his plea to guilty when prosecution was about to start its case. The court convicted him accordingly.

He was ordered to pay a fine of 200 penalty units equivalent to GHC2,400.00.

In default, he would serve an additional one year and pay the money within a month from the day of his sentence.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye told the court that in June 2024, the Ghana Police Service received a petition from the Judicial Secretary that Jackson and others were engaged in the forgery of marriage and divorce certificates, court orders and other Judicial documents.

He said Jackson was a private bailiff at the Ejisu District Court.

On receipt of the petition, the police mounted surveillance on the convict and on August 13, 2024 he was arrested.

A search on conducted on Jackon’s room revealed documents including affidavits for divorce and a Certificate of Divorce. DSP Nyamekye said during investigation, Jackson admitted the offence and claimed that he was in need of money to pay his rent.

Investigations showed that the District Court Order on Certificate of Divorce, dated May 8, 2024, under the hand of the former Magistrate, was forged.

Further investigation disclosed that the Magistrate was a former District Magistrate of Ejisu District Court.

DSP Nyamekye said investigation also disclosed that the convict scanned the signature of the Magistrate, pasted it on the certificate and used the Registrar’s stamp on same.

Investigation again disclosed that all the court order and the other documents retrieved from Jackson were forged.

He was arraigned after investigation.

GNA