A serial mobile money (MoMo) fraudster operating in Kasoa and its surrounding regions in the Central Region has been granted bail by the Kasoa Akweley District Court, presided over by His Worship Stephen Ofori Akrasi.
The suspect is accused of receiving electronic payments fraudulently in contravention of Section 119 of the Electronic Transactions Act 2008, Act 772.
Multiple mobile money merchants in Kasoa Municipality have fallen prey to the techniques of Emmanuel Dawson, a 33-year-old cab driver from Opeikuma, a Kasoa neighborhood.
Dawson’s method entails beginning a modest transaction with MoMo sellers and then asking the contact information of the business owner while pretending to be interested in a larger deal.
He then duplicates the business owner’s WhatsApp display photo, establishes a new WhatsApp account using that image, and starts a discussion with himself, the unknowing vendor, and the vendor acting as the business owner.
Dawson uses this sophisticated strategy to persuade the merchant to transfer money to another MoMo account, from which he later withdraws monies.
His arrest followed a week-long investigation by the police intelligence unit led by DSP Alex Obiri Yeboah after he conned a female seller of GH2,500.00.
Since the suspect’s arrest, other victims have come forward to testify against him, sparking a series of hearings at the Kasoa district police headquarters.
Despite the seriousness of the accusations, the Kasoa Akweley District Court granted Dawson bail in the amount of GH20,000.00.
This bond is subject to two sureties, one of whom must be a government employee earning at least GH2,000.00 a month.
Michael Lartey, legal counsel for the accused, who pled not guilty, argued for bail on the grounds that Dawson posed no flight risk and has a well-established and permanent place of abode.
Lartey further highlighted that all offenders are eligible for bail.
The judge’s decision to grant bail recognises the economic consequences of MoMo fraud. The goal of bail is to preserve the suspect’s rights.
The refusal of bail may lead to unjustified suspicions of guilt, especially given the judge’s planned departure.
Akosua Okyere, a victim of this huge plan, stated that she was forced to repay the money seized by the fraudster because her supervisor demanded it.
“This guy defrauded me at a shop in Kasoa and till now, I am still paying back. His grand scheme is tricky and is easy for anyone to fall victim,” Akosua Okyere said.
The case is scheduled for continuation on November 6, 2023.
