The Ghana Police Service has arrested three people for allegedly impersonating public officials and carrying out online fraud targeting unsuspecting members of the public.
The arrests followed sustained, intelligence-led operations by the Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team across Sogakope, Dabala, Dzozde and Penyi in the Volta Region, police said in a statement issued on Monday.
The suspects were identified as Gideon Awudi, 25, Edem Soku, 33, and Judith Soku, 31.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects created and operated fake social media accounts impersonating high-profile public officials, including the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Inspector-General of Police, and other prominent personalities. The accounts were allegedly used to solicit money and defraud victims under false pretences.
Police said further investigations uncovered the suspects’ involvement in a range of cyber-related crimes, including mobile money fraud, credit card fraud, airtime sales scams and online marketplace fraud conducted across multiple social media platforms.
According to the police, the suspects have been transferred to the Special Investigations Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Accra, where further investigations are ongoing. They are expected to be processed for court in accordance with the law.
The Ghana Police Service urged the public to exercise caution when conducting online financial transactions and to verify the authenticity of social media accounts before engaging with them, particularly those claiming to represent public officials or institutions.
Police also encouraged members of the public to report suspected cybercrime and online fraud to the nearest police station to support ongoing efforts to combat digital crime and protect the public from financial loss.