Man in court for defrauding Immigration Officer

The Adabraka District Court (formerly Kaneshie District Court) has granted bail to a 51-year-old man, Nana Obeng Tandoh, in the sum of GH¢30,000 with two sureties for allegedly defrauding an immigration officer under the pretext of securing him accommodation.

The court, presided over by Nana Abena Asoh Owusu-Omenyo, ordered that one of the sureties be justified.

Tandoh pleaded not guilty to a charge of defrauding by false pretences and is scheduled to reappear in court on October 30, 2025.

Police Chief Inspector Apewah Achana told the court that the complainant, Mr. Mumuni Labaran, an immigration officer, did not have a fixed place of abode. The accused, a civil engineer, was also said to have no permanent residence.

The prosecution said Mr. Labaran had been transferred to Accra and was in search of accommodation for his new posting.

In June 2025, he was introduced to the accused through an accommodation agent for assistance in renting a room.

Tandoh, who claimed to have several apartments available for rent, took the complainant to one located at Dzorwulu, Accra, which was nearing completion.

After inspecting the property, the complainant expressed interest, and the accused collected GH¢24,000 from him as a year’s rent advance, promising to complete the room within a month.

However, the prosecution said the accused failed to deliver on his promise and subsequently went into hiding.

In his efforts to trace the accused and recover his money, the complainant discovered that he was among several victims allegedly defrauded by Tandoh using the same apartment.

Chief Inspector Achana said that on September 19, 2025, the accused was arrested by the Nima Divisional CID in connection with a similar offence.

Following his arrest, the complainant lodged a formal complaint against him.

During investigations, the accused reportedly admitted to the offence in his cautioned statement. Further investigations revealed that several individuals had fallen victim to the same fraudulent scheme, in which the accused collected rent advances for apartments he neither owned nor controlled.

After the conclusion of investigations, Tandoh was charged and arraigned.