Security Coordinator jailed 10 years for blackmailing former Metro Mass MD

The Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a Security Coordinator with the Metro Mass Transit Company Limited (MMTL) to a 10-year prison term for blackmailing the former Managing Director (MD) of the company, Mr Bennet Aboagye.

It would be recalled that Mr. Bennet Aboagye was asked to step aside in 2018, after he was accused by a staff of the company, Lawal Fuseina, of undertaking some shady deals as well as attempting to bribe whistle-blowers.

The matter was subsequently forwarded to the Special Prosecutor’s office and CHRAJ for investigation.

According to Mr. Aboagye, Lawal had bugged his office with a recording device and threatened to release some audio conversations of him to the public if an amount of GH¢1m was not paid.

In his response, Mr. Aboagye confirmed paying an amount of GH¢40, 000 to Lawal but stated that the amount was to trap Lawal to retrieve the supposed recording from him as advised by the Police CID.

Prosecutors said Lawal admitted to being the brain behind the recordings in his cautioned statement.

“Investigation revealed that the company MMTL had a common room where all keys to the various offices are kept including that of the complainant. Lawal Fusein unlawfully accessed complainant’s office and planted a recorder to record complainant’s conversations and also picked his Police Check Report, scanned and inserted the threatening message on it. Lawal Fuseina managed to drop the said document on complainant’s resident to coerced him into paying the money,” Prosecutors told the court.

“Investigations also uncovered that Lawal Fuseina after receiving the GHc40, 000 lodged same in his ADB accounts on May 5, 2018 and subsequently redrawn GHc1000 and GHc39, 000 on May 19 and 21, 2018 respectively,” Prosecutors further said.

The Court, therefore, found Lawal Fuseina guilty on charges of unlawful entry and extortion.

The court presided over by Her Honour Adelaide Abui Keddy in handing down the sentence said, the punishment should serve as a deterrent to others.

One other person mentioned as Bawa, who is said to have conspired with Lawal is being pursued by the police.