Data analyst jailed two years for job recruitment scam

An Adentan Circuit Court has sentenced a 34-year-old data analyst, Anthony Dunyo, to two years’ imprisonment for defrauding a businessman of GH¢11,800 under the false pretence of securing employment at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

Dunyo was convicted after pleading guilty with explanation to a charge of defrauding by false pretences before the court, presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah.

The court held that the explanation offered by the accused amounted to an admission of guilt and convicted him on his own plea.

During the proceedings, Dunyo claimed he had worked with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) campaign team at its national headquarters and said an individual identified only as Gideon had promised him access to job opportunities. He also admitted refunding GH¢2,000 to the police, a fact confirmed by the case investigator.

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The court ordered that the GH¢2,000 already refunded be released to the complainant as part of the restitution.

Presenting the facts, Inspector Gloria Ayim told the court that the complainant, Mr Foster Gbeddie, met Dunyo in 2021 after the latter introduced himself as a staff member of the Ministry of Works and Housing and a close associate of the then Minister for Works and Housing and Member of Parliament for Bantama, Francis Asenso-Boakye.

The prosecution said Dunyo claimed he could use his alleged connections with the Minister to secure jobs for the complainant and his relatives in various government institutions.

According to the prosecution, Dunyo first claimed there was a vacancy at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority and demanded GH¢10,000 to facilitate the appointment. The complainant subsequently paid GH¢4,000 on behalf of a friend during a meeting at the Adenta Shell Filling Station.

Six weeks later, Dunyo allegedly informed the complainant of another opportunity at the Ghana Immigration Service for a university graduate and demanded GH¢12,000, requesting an initial deposit of GH¢6,000 from another interested applicant.

The prosecution further stated that Dunyo later introduced a purported vacancy at the Bui Power Authority for an auditor and obtained an additional GH¢1,800 from the complainant, claiming the money had been handed over to the Minister.

After waiting several months without receiving any appointment letters, the complainant visited the Ministry of Works and Housing, where he discovered that Dunyo was not an employee of the ministry as he had claimed.

The complainant subsequently reported the matter to the police on May 12, leading to Dunyo’s arrest.

Investigations established that Dunyo was neither an employee of the Ministry of Works and Housing nor authorised to recruit personnel on behalf of any government institution.

During police investigations, Dunyo admitted collecting GH¢11,800 from the complainant under the pretext of securing jobs at the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Bui Power Authority.

Although he promised to refund the full amount within one month, he repaid only GH¢2,000 before the case was concluded.