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🇬🇭 Ghana /Crime & Justice

Ghana Police re-arrest fugitive convicted seven years ago

From Ghanaian Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Ghana Police have arrested Eric Afoakwa, a fugitive convicted seven years ago for money laundering, fraud, forgery, and tax evasion.
  • Afoakwa, also known as "Chad," was convicted in absentia by the Accra High Court in 2019 and sentenced to eight years imprisonment.
  • The police arrested him on Sunday while he was allegedly preparing to leave the country, and he will be handed over to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to enforce the court's judgment.

Ghanaian police have apprehended Eric Afoakwa, a fugitive who evaded justice for seven years after his conviction by the Accra High Court. Afoakwa, also known by the alias "Chad," was arrested on Sunday as he allegedly prepared to flee the country.

The arrest was carried out on July 6 by personnel from the Anti Armed Robbery Unit acting on the directive of the Inspector General of Police.

— Ghana Police ServiceDetailing the circumstances of the arrest.

He was convicted in 2019 on multiple charges, including money laundering, defrauding by false pretenses, forgery of official documents, and tax evasion. The court sentenced him to eight years in prison, with sentences to run concurrently. Additionally, he was ordered to refund $132,660 to the complainant.

Afoakwa was convicted in absentia by the Accra High Court in 2019 and found guilty on five out of six counts, including money laundering, defrauding by false pretences, forgery of official documents and tax evasion.

— Ghana Police ServiceListing the charges Afoakwa was convicted of.

Following his conviction, Afoakwa went into hiding and was subsequently declared a wanted person by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). The recent arrest was made by personnel from the Anti Armed Robbery Unit, acting on the Inspector General of Police's directive, based on intelligence gathered about his departure plans.

The court, presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah Datsa, sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment on the offences, with the sentences to run concurrently.

— Ghana Police ServiceSpecifying the sentence handed down by the court.

The police stated that Afoakwa will be transferred to EOCO to facilitate the execution of the court's orders. They reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with EOCO and other state institutions to apprehend fugitives and ensure they face justice.

In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered him to refund $132,660 to the complainant in the case.

— Ghana Police ServiceDetailing the financial restitution ordered by the court.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ghanaian Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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