…The Herald Vindicated On Ayorkor Botchwey’s Lawsuit A self-styled National Security operative, believed to have duped several unsuspe...
…The Herald Vindicated On Ayorkor Botchwey’s Lawsuit
A self-styled National Security operative, believed to have duped several unsuspecting members of the public using powerful names, including the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, is in the grips of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police Service.
Mohammed Aminu Bonkonu, 37 years, The Herald gathered is believed to be working with a syndicate, whose modus operandi is to pose as personnel of the National Security with links to powerful people in government and authority, who can offer job opportunities to desperate job seekers. Others, were made to part with various sum on the pretext of given the juicy government contracts.
To make him look credible, he will manage to produce documents and letterheads from the Office of the President which appear genuine. “These letters are mostly signed by the President’s Executive Secretary”, a source said.
Again, he is able to get people who are well connected to contact the poor victims to make it look authentic but in real sense he has no such power.
His victims, who span to Ghanaians abroad and retirees believe it is a syndicate and that; there are people bigger than him, who are behind supporting to play fast one on people.
However, Aminu, who was in the news in 2017, boasting about his relationship with Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has refused to mention these powerful people.
His claim to be an aide to the Foreign Affairs Minister, who doubles as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Anyaa Sowutuom Constituency, was reported by The Herald late last year, leading to a defamation lawsuit, filed by her against the newspaper. The case was filed on her behalf by Lawyer Gary Nimako.
A Police statement issued by the Police CID on Aminu’s activities, revealed he had collected various sums of money from his victims.
Some ranged from £5, 000.00, USD $934, 000.00 and GHc605, 000.00. He did this “under different circumstances on the pretext of securing his unsuspecting victims higher political positions and government contracts respectively”.
After managing to convince his victims with his so-called capacity and ability to provide them job with names of people like the President Akufo-Addo’s Executive Secretary and others, these helpless job seekers then become “his money bag”.
He extorts money from them, until he milks them dry of their life-savings.
Aminu Bonkonu, has been remanded into Police custody at the Central Police Station assisting in investigation. He is expected to appear at the Commercial Court division in Accra on June 22, 2020.
The 3-paragraph statement signed by Head, Public Affairs Unit, Ms. Juliana Obeng said “The suspect, Mohammed Aminu Bonkonu, aged 37, has been remanded into Police custody to assist Police investigation on the offences of Defrauding by False Pretence, Forgery of Documents and Money Laundering contrary to sections 131(1) 159, and 1 (1) (C) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2008 (Act 749) as amended by Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 (Act 874) respectively “.
The statement issued on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, advised the general public to be wary of the types of Mohammed and encouraged anyone who has falling victim to his criminal antics to report to the CID unit at the headquarters.
“The CID administration would like to caution the public to be wary of such fraudsters and as well advises any victims of the suspect stated therein to report to the Financial Fraud Unit at the CID headquarters”.
A source told this paper Aminu at the moment, has two separate cases filed against him by two of his friends at the CID.
According to the source, one of the victims whose name he won’t mention, described the suspect as “A very bad boy”, who the victim wanted to groom, but he turned out to be what he is not.
The said victim who is a retiree, has almost been rendered a destitute after he “tried to help him because he saw him as very enterprising”. He is unable to do any investment, because all his money has been defrauded off him, by the suspect.
The pain of his victims, The Herald was told, are that Aminu is not only a fraudster, but he is very “arrogant”, “mean” and “a hardened criminal”.
“He is not remorseful, he rather acts as though you owe him”. His victims abroad are said to be calling back home to lodge complaints.
He allegedly brags that he will not pay the said money and that even if he goes to jail, he will return to spend it. “You cannot sit down for someone to cheat you like that”, the source opined.
But this paper is informed, the victims have sworn to retrieve all the moneys owed them with one threatening that “If Aminu wants to behave like that, he will show him that a child who does not want his mother to sleep, will himself not sleep”.
The only property the 37-year old is known to have probably invested the money in, is a three-bedroom apartment with tiles all over, including the fence and walls.
Aminu, who is described as “Very smart” managed to dupe his victims of all their life-savings except selling their houses.
Additional details picked up by The Herald revealed that Aminu, was sacked from the National Security Council, sometimes ago, after a complaint was lodged by the General Secretary of New Patriotic Party (NPP) John Buadu, after his wife became his victim.
Aminu has also been known as NPP activist and had used that status to bully people as side duping. Two years ago, he was jailed by an Accra court but he and his lawyer, used some strange to get him released on bail from jail. He fled to Niger, thereafter and sneaked back into Ghana.
Aminu grew up at Awonshie A Lang and hails from a village in Niger called Bonkoukou 256 km from the capital Niamey, his tribe is Touareg. His father came to Ghana in the early 70s.
The father’s name is Bonkano Alfari and the mother’s name is Habsu. Family sources have revealed that his parents suffered shock after the arrest of their son, and had to be rushed to the Ridge Hospital in Accra for treatment.
Source:The Herald
