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 neighbourhood.
Dawson’s method entails beginning a modest transaction with MoMo sellers and then asking for 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 money.
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, Dawson was granted bail in the amount of GH20,000.00 by the Kasoa Akweley District Court.
This bail is subject to two sureties, one of whom must have a verifiable landed property and be validated by a government worker earning no less than GH2,000.00 per month.
Dawson’s legal counsel, Michael Lartey, argued for bail on the grounds that he poses no flight risk and has a well-established and permanent place of abode.
Lartey further emphasised that bail is available for all offences.
The judge’s decision to grant bail recognises the economic consequences of MoMo fraud. The goal of bail is to preserve the rights of the suspect.
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 I’m still paying him back.” “His grand scheme is tricky, and anyone can fall victim to it,” Akosua Okyere remarked.
The matter will be heard again on November 6, 2023.
