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16 women nabbed over fake currency printing, distribution in K’si.

Sixteen women, believed to belong to a syndicate of fake money printing and distribution have been busted by the police, here, in a special operation.

An amount of GH₵34, 658.00 genuine currencies and GH₵41, 111.00 fake ones, were retrieved from them during the arrest. 

The suspects were said to be going round buying items at the markets at Techiman in the Bono East, Ejura, and Aputuogya in Ashanti Regions, respectively, in the denominations of mostly GH₵ 200.00, GH₵100.00 and some GH₵10.00 and GH₵5.00.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Godwin Ahianyo, Head of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Affairs Unit told the Ghanaian Times that the gang was rounded up at separate locations in the Kumasi metropolis last Wednesday.

He said the police arrested, earlier, a member of the gang, Joyce Ama Asare, 33, at the Ejura market on May 24 2020, when she was going round buying items with some fake 100 and 200 cedi notes to the sum of GH₵1,100.

The police said eight of the suspects were busted at Embassy Hotel, one of the hideouts in Kumasi, at about 10pm.

A similar operation,he said, was carried out at the Ducor Hotel, at Abrepo Junction where six suspects were picked at about 11pm.

Accordingto ASP Ahianyo, a nursing mother was also in custody at the Feyiase Police Station after a bag load of fake notes were found on her, stressing that she was arrested and handed over to the police on Tuesday, by traders at the Aputuogya market where she embarked on a shopping spree. 

The suspects identified have been named as: Afia Pokuah,40, Abena Boatemaa,33, Sandra Oforiwaa,30,Charlotte Oforiwaa,29, Joana Yeboah, 29, Abena Gyamfuah, 28 and Diana Asamoah,24. 

The others are Serwaa Rebecca, a teenager, Antwiwaa Ama Victoria, Esther Akua Asamoah, Theresa Adwoa Oforiwaa, Irene Ama Serwaa, Yaa Afful and Patience Nyarko.

Assorted items like microwaves, wall clock, bicycle, cooking oil, utensils, soap, pepper, tubers of yam,and agro chemicals were retrieved from them.

The items are believed to have been purchased with fake currencies for resale for genuine currencies.

ASP Ahianyo said the suspects had since been detained to help trace other suspects believed to be on the run.

ASP Ahianyo added that the seized cedi notes have also been sent to the Bank of Ghana for examination.

The Ghanaian Times was informed that the police were in the process of inviting the managements of the two hotels for questioning on the illicit printing of the notes.

ASP Ahianyo advised the public to be keen to report any fake currency dealers going round some of the markets. 

                                           
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI 
 

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