The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in partnership with the National Crime Agency (NCA) of United Kingdom, has launched a campaign to combat romance fraud.
EOCO explains romance fraud as a relationship of love characterised by false representations with the intention to defraud the other partner.
The year-long event starting from this month and involving radio education programmes, public education and outdoor sensitisation programmes, is also to create an avenue for victims of romance fraud to report to the EOCO for investigations to take place so that perpetrators could be brought to book.
The Director of Administration of EOCO, Edward Cudjoe, at the launch of the campaign, in Accra on Wednesday, said romance fraud was a criminal activity that was giving Ghana a bad image.
He stated that EOCO was, therefore, partnering with NCA of UK to combat romance fraud, and that international partners and local collaborators have revealed that Ghana was becoming the destination of fraud-related crimes and fund, particularly romance fraud.
Mr Cudjoe also mentioned that EOCO was partnering NCA of UK to share intelligence and obtain logistical financial support to help EOCO to tackle romance fraud.
He stated that EOCO was also involving the public in the fight against romance fraud “because for every endeavour, if you don’t have the public along, you work in darkness, more or less.”
Mr Cudjoe further urged the public and victims to report issues of romance fraud to EOCO for investigations, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators to serve as deterrent to others.
The Deputy Director of Legal and Prosecutions of EOCO, Leo Antony Siamah, revealed that since 2021, a total of 107 romance fraud cases had been recorded in Ghana.
He said 25 cases were recorded last year, and since the beginning of the year, seven cases had been recorded and were being investigated.
“As of last year, we have recovered GH¢2.2 million and has successfully repatriated GH¢453,662.00 and efforts are underway to repatriate the remaining GH¢1.5 million, pending court processes,” Mr Siamah outlined.
The International Liaison Officer of NCA, Dominic Cummins, said romance fraud cases were increasing in the UK and most of the perpetrators were from Ghana.
He said it was in the light of the development that the NCA was partnering with EOCO to track and arrest the perpetrators and prosecute them.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
