NGO employees in court for fraud

Two employees of the Millennium Movement against Poverty, a non-profit organization in Jasikan, has been dragged to a Hohoe circuit court for alleged conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretences.

Edward Obiannim Bright and his accomplice, Kennedy Honu, Director and Web Developer respectively, pleaded not guilty to defrauding 240 inhabitants of Kadjebi-Asato and are to re-appear on June 26, this year.

A third accomplice, Mawuse Adjeiwaah, is at large.

Mr Benjamin Y. Dadzie, prosecuting, told the court, presided over by Mr Samuel Kofi Solomon, that Philip Gakpe, an electrician complained that in September, 2011, the three suspects acted in unison and defrauded 240 people in the Asato area of GHc1,920.00.

The amount was supposed to be registration and other exigencies as requirement of would-be members to receive GHc 500.00 financial empowerment from the NGO.

He said the three coerced members of the public through megaphones at the Asato Post Office that the NGO had come to offer financial support to the poor and needy but suggested the people formed groups of 10 members to qualify for the assistance.

Mr Dadzie said several groups including Zongo, Goodwill, and Ntoboase were formed with each person expected to register with five Ghana cedis and three Ghana cedis for passport size photos after which membership certificates were issued.

He said Bright consequently promised the groups of allocating the purported GHc500.00 on December 8, 2011, of which he defaulted.

The two were arrested for failing to honour their promises and making statement they knew were false.

Source: GNA