Hairdresser bags five years for withdrawing GHc81k from the customer's GCB account.
Jessica Oforiwaa, a caterer and hairdresser, has been sentenced to five years in prison for fraudulently withdrawing Ghc81,060 from a customer's GCB bank account. The case unfolded after Oforiwaa used a cloned checkbook to carry out the illegal transactions, which continued until the bank detected the irregular withdrawals in 2023.
According to the prosecution, Oforiwaa was able to withdraw the substantial amount by using cloned cheques that appeared to be from the victim’s genuine account. These cheques were, in fact, counterfeit copies that had been altered to look authentic to the bank. Oforiwaa’s actions went unnoticed for a period, as the withdrawals appeared to be legitimate at first glance.
The fraudulent activity came to light when GCB Bank officials discovered eight cloned cheques in their possession. These cheques had been used to withdraw large sums of money from the bank, prompting an internal investigation. The bank’s security team, led by Daniel Boakye, a Security Coordinator at GCB Bank, took immediate action by submitting the suspected cloned cheques to Camelot Company Limited for further analysis. Camelot is known for producing checkbooks and was tasked with verifying the authenticity of the cheques in question.
Camelot’s investigation revealed that the cloned cheques had been issued from a checkbook associated with Oforiwaa’s company, Jesnat Cook Company. Further analysis uncovered that Oforiwaa and her accomplices had chemically erased the account details and signatures of the original account holders, altering the cheques to make them appear legitimate. This allowed the fraudulent withdrawals to take place undetected, as the altered cheques closely resembled authentic ones.
As the investigation progressed, it was revealed that Oforiwaa had not acted alone. Her accomplices had been involved in using the cloned cheques to withdraw significant sums of money from various accounts, leading to widespread financial losses. The scam was more extensive than initially realized, affecting multiple individuals and businesses. Oforiwaa’s role in the scheme was central to its success, as she had access to the cloned checkbook and was able to facilitate the illegal withdrawals.
In court, Oforiwaa was convicted for her role in the fraudulent scheme and sentenced to five years in prison. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of financial fraud and the importance of vigilance in the banking sector. The sentence aims to send a clear message that such fraudulent activities will be met with serious consequences.
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