Winneba, Dec 26, GNA - The Winneba Police have arrested two persons for attempting to defraud one Mr Alfred Obeng of 28 million cedis. The suspects, Kofi Thomas a 33 year-old businessman and Yaw Abeka a 26 year-old labourer are in police custody and would soon be put before a court.

Mr Nicholas Gasu, Winneba District Police Commander, told the GNA that in 2003, Mr Obeng, a former Koforidua District Manager of the Federated Commodities Cocoa Company, gave 84 million cedis to one Mr Alfred Kudabor, a Purchasing Clerk, to buy a quantity of cocoa. The District Commander said that Kudabor bolted with the amount leading to the dismissal of Mr Obeng.

However, on December 20, 2005, Mr Obeng had a foreign call from one Nana Asare who claimed to be a nephew of Kudabor from Italy. He said Nana Asare told Mr Obeng that he had sent him a parcel containing 15,000 dollars, five pairs of Italian shoes, two bottles of champagne and five pieces of Italian wax print. Mr Gasu said the two suspects then contacted Mr Obeng and asked him to meet them at the Assin Fosu Training College in the Assin District to collect the parcel and that they had paid 28 million cedis as duty on the parcel that had to be refunded by Mr Obeng before collecting it. The Winneba District Police Commander said that after the two suspects had failed to appear when he went to Assin Fosu, Mr Obeng had another call from Nana Asare and one Madam Jemima asking him to meet them at Akim Oda for the parcel.

Mr Gasu said they also failed to turn up, adding that, Mr Obeng again had another call to collect the parcel at D-Hard Restaurant at Winneba junction.

He said Mr Obeng alerted the Police who laid ambush and arrested the suspects. Mr Gasu stated that when the suspects were made to open the parcel, it contained only a packet of sachet water.