Accra, July 6, GNA - A Businessman, who allegedly collected 14.7 million cedis from five persons under the pretext of recruiting them into the Ghana Armed Forces was on Wednesday remanded in custody by a Circuit Court in Accra.

Sylvanus Dzorkah pleaded not guilty to the charges of falsely pretending to be a public officer and five counts of defrauding by false pretence. He would reappear on July 20.

The Prosecution told the court that Dzorkah, a petty trader at New Town, in Accra, had jumped Police enquiry bail.

On June 6, last year Dzorkah, who posed as a Captain in the Army, approached Mr Fortune Dugbefuh with Recruitment Prospectus and convinced him to part with 5.5 million cedis to facilitate his recruitment into the Army.

After receiving the money, Dzorkah absconded compelling Mr Dugbefuh to report the matter to the Police.

Dzorkah admitted the offence after his arrest and refunded one million cedis to the Police and pleaded for time to pay the rest. The Prosecution said Dzorkah went underground after he was granted a Police enquiry bail.

On June 6, this year, the Police had a tip-off that Dzorkah was hiding at Keta and went to arrest him. Prosecution said four persons from Tema and Accra had so far lodged similar complaints with the Police.

The complainants claimed Dzorkah collected monies totalling 9.2 million cedis from them. 6 July 05