By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Andreas Kamasah
Published on 2024-01-22 07:58:17
In August 2022, a case unfolded when Richard Asomaning reported to the Tema Police that he had been recruited by a man named Ayittey to participate in a kidnapping operation. Asomaning provided copies of his driver’s license and Ghana card, along with those of another recruit, Peter Ofoe Agbovie, to Ayittey. The witnesses requested a meeting with Ayittey to ascertain the identity of the intended victims, who were identified as Mr. Joseph K. Horgle, the owner of J. K. Horgle Transport and Company Limited, and his daughter, Elinam, the Deputy Managing Director of the same company. Despite never meeting the witnesses in person, Ayittey orchestrated the operation through phone communication, creating a WhatsApp group for planning and providing funds for surveillance on the victims. Ayittey even planned to acquire weapons for the operation. The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) joined the investigation and revealed that Ayittey had previously worked as a driver at the intended victim’s company from 2017 to 2018, and intended to request a ransom in cryptocurrency, funnelling the funds to an account in China to avoid detection.
Ayittey was arrested on August 9, 2022, where he admitted to the charges and pointed to Wang Liang as the mastermind. Investigations uncovered Ayittey’s exploitation of a job-seeking platform, Jiji online, to recruit individuals for the nefarious plot. The court’s decision underscored the severity of the crime, serving as a deterrent against such heinous acts in the future. The hunt for Wang Liang, who remains at large, continues as law enforcement intensifies efforts to bring all perpetrators to justice. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and swift action in preventing and addressing such criminal activities.
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