Two students and a lecturer accused of collecting 106,800 cedis on the pretext of providing beds and rooms to students at the Dr. Hilla Liman Hall of the University of Ghana have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Joseph Appiah, 25, Stephen Nimako Anson, 24, and a senior residential lecturer, Dr Kwadwo Owusu-Aye, 58, were jointly charged with conspiracy and 32 counts of fraud.
Mr Appiah and Mr Nimako were further charged with corruption by a public official, i.e. abetting a crime.
Dr. Aiyeh also faces an additional charge of official corruption.
The three defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The court presided over by Chief Justice Isaac Addo granted them a bond of 100,000 cedis each.
The judge ordered the prosecution to comply with disclosure rules and adjourned the case until July 30, 2024.
The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lower told the court that the plaintiff, Professor Gordon Awandare, was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon.
According to the paper, Mr Appian and Mr Anson were Level 400 students at the university, while Dr Aye was a lecturer and senior hall tutor at the university’s Hilla Liman Hall.
Chief Inspector Lower said the complainant had on October 17, 2023 petitioned the Accra Regional Police Command to conduct an investigation into the ongoing alleged sale of beds at the Dr Hilla Liman Hall of the university.
The prosecution told the court that the complainant had alleged that some students and staff of the university had demanded and collected money from students of the university on the pretext of allotting rooms and beds to the students of the said hall.
The prosecutor said that on October 18, 2023, a team of detectives from the Accra Regional Criminal Investigation Department led by a former Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Emmanuel Osei Agboga, visited the University of Ghana and began investigations into the case.
During investigation, 32 students who were victims of the scheme were identified and contacted and it was confirmed that Appiah and Anson had demanded and collected from them sums varying from 2,000 cedis to 2,500 cedis, promising to allocate them beds and rooms.
Mr Appiah and Mr Anson were arrested and during questioning they admitted to carrying out deals with Dr Ayeh for the sale of accommodation and beds.
The prosecution said that after taking office, Dr Aiyeh was also found to have conspired with Mr Anson to search for students in need of accommodation and beds at Dr Hilla Liman Hall.
Prosecutors also said Anson instructed Appiah to seek out potential students.
The court heard that the defendants had unsuccessfully tried to collect a sum of GH₵106,800 from the 32 students on the pretext of providing them with accommodation and beds at Dr Hira Liman Hall.
The prosecution said Anson paid back the 30,000 cedis.
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