National Security Agent Charged in GH¢500k Car Fraud
A 55-year-old man, Bawah Yusif Sarkodie, has appeared before an Adenta Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH500,000 under the pretext of securing an auctioned vehicle.
Sarkodie, an alleged national security operative, is accused of collecting the amount to facilitate the purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser, which was purportedly seized by the government and auctioned at the Tema Harbour, but he failed to deliver.
Charged with defrauding by false pretences, he pleaded not guilty. The court admitted him to bail in the sum of GH600,000 with two sureties and ordered him to report to the police every Monday.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Superintendent of Police Patience Mario, the complainant, Charles Amoakoh, was a businessman engaged in car rental services at Adenta Pantang Junction, while the accused was a businessman resident at West Legon.
In May 2025, Sarkodie, who had been renting vehicles from the complainant, visited him at his garage and introduced himself as a National Security operative and an official of the National Democratic Congress.
Sarkodie allegedly informed the complainant that he could assist him in acquiring Toyota Land Cruisers seized by the government and being auctioned at GH500,000 per vehicle at the Tema Harbour. He further claimed to have an office near the Tema Community 18 Municipal Assembly and invited the complainant to meet him there with the money to facilitate the transaction.
On May 6, 2025, at about 1000 hours, the complainant, accompanied by two witnesses, met Sarkodie at the stated location. The court heard that Sarkodie requested the complainant to hand over the money, claiming it was needed to pay a token to some officials at the Assembly to enable easy access to the vehicle.
While seated in the complainant’s car, Sarkodie allegedly received the GH500,000, but deliberately left GH20,000, his Samsung mobile phone, and two reflective jackets in the vehicle before entering one of the buildings at the Assembly, pretending he was going to make the payment.
Prosecution said the complainant waited for some time but became suspicious when Sarkodie failed to return. A search for him proved futile, as he had switched off his phones and fled.
A complaint was subsequently lodged with the police, and Sarkodie was arrested on September 11, 2025, following investigations. Further investigations revealed that the accused was allegedly involved in a series of similar fraudulent activities in Accra.
The case has been adjourned to March 9, 2026.
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