Court orders arrest of senior military officer over recruitment scam

An Accra Circuit Court has issued an arrest warrant for a military officer accused of involvement in a GH¢136,000 recruitment scam.

Captain Abel Nartey, stationed at Army Headquarters in Burma Camp, Accra, allegedly collected GH¢120,000 of the total amount to facilitate the enlistment of individuals into various security services in the country.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, informed the court presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah that Capt. Nartey had been repeatedly invited by the Regional Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service to assist in investigations but failed to honour the invitations.

According to the prosecution, wireless communication was sent to the Military Police and Army Headquarters requesting that he be produced for investigation, but no results were obtained.

The court, therefore, issued a bench warrant for Capt. Nartey’s arrest.

Meanwhile, the prosecution today amended the facts and the charge sheet, and Clement Ayomah, a military officer standing trial with Capt.

Nartey had his plea retaken.

Ayomah pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and defrauding by false pretenses.

The court ordered Ayomah to be released on his former bail condition and adjourned the matter to August 5, 2024.

The prosecution’s case was that the complainant, George Ofori Amoako, is a trader residing in Darkuman.

It stated that Ayomah is a military officer stationed at Burma Camp, while Capt. Nartey is stationed at the Training and Doctrine Command in Teshie.

The prosecution claimed that in 2021, the complainant was introduced to Ayomah by one Vivian as a military officer who had slots in the armed forces.

The complainant expressed interest and contacted Ayomah for assistance.

Ayomah allegedly told the complainant that he and Capt. Nartey, who is at large, had many protocol slots in the security services.

The court heard that Ayomah collected GH¢136,000 from the complainant and gave GH¢120,000 to Capt. Nartey to enlist 12 people into the Ghana Armed Forces, seven into the Ghana Police Service, and three into the Ghana Immigration Service.

Ayomah reportedly kept the remaining GH¢16,000.

After taking the money, Ayomah failed to fulfill his promise and began playing hide-and-seek with the complainant.

In March 2023, a report was made to the police, and Ayomah was arrested.

The court was informed that Capt. Nartey was repeatedly invited by the Regional CID in Accra to assist in investigations, but he failed to honor the invitations.

“A wireless message was also sent to the Military Police and the Army Headquarters for him to be produced, but they also failed to produce him.”

In Ayomah’s caution statement, he admitted to collecting money from the complainant and mentioned that some of it was given to Capt. Nartey, who remains at large.

The prosecution stated that Ayomah has since refunded GH¢50,000.