Businessman swindles three nurses

Prince Essel Ferguson, a 32-year-old businessman accused of conspiring with two others now at large to defraud three nurses the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital of GHC6,400 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Ferguson and his accomplices allegedly took the money under the pretext of enlisting the nurses into the Ghana Armed Forces.

The accused is said to have committed the act with one Colonel Samba and Majed and are jointly charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and three counts of defrauding by false pretences.

Ferguson has however denied the offence and is on GHC20,000.00 bail with two sureties to reappear on August 5th before the court presided over by Mrs. Afua Owusuwaa Appiah.

Prosecuting, Inspector Samuel Ahiabor, said the complainants are Daniel Tetteh, Philemon Gazari, and Theophilus Nyamadi nurses working at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

According to prosecution, Ferguson resides at Kasoa in the Central Region.

Inspector Ahiabor said in August last year, Ferguson met one Leticia Lewah, a senior nurse and a witness in the case and asked her for assistance.

Prosecution said during the interaction between Ferguson and Ms. Lewah, the accused introduced himself as an Army Captain by name Captain Dankwah attached to the Military Intelligence Unit, currently on Secondment in Sudan.

Prosecution said Ferguson further told Ms Lewah that he was at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to investigate the background of a newly recruited Medical Doctor who had been recruited into the Ghana Armed Force.

He said Ferguson exchanged his contact with Ms Lewah and two days later, called and asked Ms Lewah if she had relatives who were interested in being enlisted into the army.

Prosecution said Ferguson went on to tell her that he has three slots for people who are to be enlisted into the army and could assist those people to be enlisted.

Inspector Ahiabor said later Ms Lewah informed the complainants about the opportunity at hand of which they also expressed interest, so she introduced them to Ferguson. Prosecution said the accused then asked each of the complainants to pay GHC300.00 for the purchase of the recruitment forms through mobile money contact number 055364457.

The prosecution said after the payment Ferguson met the complainants at different suburbs in Accra and assisted them to fill the recruitment forms.

He said Ferguson on that score also collected GHC150.00 each from the complainants as fuel fees

The Prosecution said Ferguson collected additional GHC1,500.00 from Gazari, GHC1,800.00 from Tetteh, and GHC1,700.00 from Nyamadi. Prosecution said Ferguson in total collected GHC6,400.00 from the three complainants.

Mr Ahiabor said Ferguson later asked the three complainants to pay an additional GHC8,000.00 each to settle some Army Commanders, so the complainants became suspicious and informed Ms Lewah who alerted the Military Police at the 37 Military Hospital.

Prosecution said when Ferguson was called to come for the monies, he was arrested and handed over to the Police. He said during investigations Ferguson mentioned one Colonel Samba and Majed, a soldier as officers who were behind the deal.

Source: GNA