The Missing Persons Unit of the Ghana Police Service has secured conviction against three persons over a fake kidnap story in Koforidua in the Easter Region.
This was after the three persons pleaded guilty with explanation to charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit, defrauding by false pretences and defrauding by false pretences.
The three are: Etornam Dzenu, 27, Stephen Sovor, 26, Justice Noamesi, 25, all Network marketers have been sentenced by the Koforidua Circuit Court to 48 months imprisonment each.
The main architect Isabella Bekinane’s sentence was however deferred to enable her undergo pregnancy test.
Narrating the facts of the case before the court presided over by Mr Kwame Polley, Chief Inspector Bernard Annor, said the complainants, Eunice Bekinane and Timothy Bekinane were siblings of Issabella and Dzenu was the boyfriend of Isabella.
Chief Inspector Annor said Savor and Noamesi were friends of Isabella and Dzenu. The accused persons who are in search of job are network marketers.
Prosecution said about eight months ago, Isabella left Accra to stay at Adweso in Koforidua in search of a job.
It said Isabella got into Q-Net Limited as a network marketer where she become friend s with Dzenu, Sovor and Noamesi.
According to prosecution, Isabella wanted capital to partner in the network marketing business and she came up with a plan to fake and stage her kidnapping to obtain money from her father.
Prosecution said Isabella later informed Dzenu about it. Dzenu also informed the Sovor and Noamesi to assist Isabella to achieve her goal.
Prosecution said all the accused persons came together with a plan for Isabella to inform her parents that she was going to Accra.
On July 4, this year, The Prosecutor said Isabella called her sister Eunice and informed her that she was travelling to Accra to look for a job to earn some money.
Prosecution said Eunice after work tried to reach Isabella if she arrived safely, but her phone line was switched off.
It said Eunice tried to call for the whole week but could not get access to her. On July 11, this year, Noamesi used Isabella’s phone to call her sister Eunice to inform her that “they are kidnappers and they have kidnapped Isabella and that the family should send a ransom of GHS8,000 to Isabella’s Momo account and they are giving the family 48 hours.
Soon after the call, the phone was switched off, Prosecution said.
According to the Prosecutor, Eunice and Timothy later became alarmed and made a formal complaint on July 12, 2022, to the Missing Persons Unit.
Prosecution said the following day, Dzenu used Isabella’s phone to send an SMS message to Eunice to remind her that “their time is limited” adding that if after 48 hours, they do not hear from the family, they will cut off Isabella’s arms.
Later, Sovor called Eunice to inform her not to send the money on Isabella’s Momo account as said earlier but rather to his phone number.
Prosecution Eunice replied to the message by telling them to take a picture of Isabella with date and send same to her to confirm if Isabella was with them and alive.
Prosecution said Dzenu, Sovor and Noamesi sent Isabella to an uncompleted school building, tied her up and Dzenu took a picture of Isabella with handwritten dated (July 13, 2022).
The Picture of Isabell was sent by Dzenu through Isabella’s WhatsApp line to Eunice as requested.
Eunice called Dzenu who she knew to be the boyfriend of Isabella to enquire about her and he informed Eunice that Isabella told him that she was going to Accra and that he had not heard from her since she left.
Prosecution said on July 14, 2022, a search team was dispatched from CID Headquarters Accra to Koforidua where Eunice led the Police to the residence of Isabella, but she was not met at home.
Prosecution said a tenant in the house informed the Police that she saw Isabella in the morning on July 14, this year.
It said July 18, 2022, the Police through intelligence arrested the accused in Sovor’s room in Adweso in Koforidua.
During interrogation, accused persons told the Police about the various roles they played.