A court judge has emphasized the need for banks and financial institutions to bolster their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems to combat cybercrime. This warning comes after a 35-year-old caterer and hairdresser, Jessica Oforiwa, was sentenced to five years in prison for stealing GH¢81,060 from GCB Bank customers using cloned cheques.
According to the prosecution, Oforiwa and her accomplices, who remain at large, chemically erased account details and signatures from original cheques, making them appear genuine to the bank. The prosecution stated, “The accused person played a significant role in assisting the other fugitives to misappropriate funds from the bank.”
The prosecution revealed that Oforiwa’s accomplices withdrew significant sums of money from the accounts using the cloned cheques. Dawda Sawdido withdrew GH¢4,700, while Mohammed Muktar made two withdrawals, taking GH¢4,900 and GH¢4,800 on February 10, 2022. Fuseini Saeed Ibrahim withdrew GH¢5,000 on January 10, 2022.
Felix Mensah withdrew GH¢47,460 on April 13, 2022. Lawrence Quarshie withdrew GH¢5,000 and GH¢4,700 from the Tantra Hill and Achimota branches, respectively, on April 13, 2022. Philip Ansah also withdrew GH¢4,700 on August 1, 2022, through Livingston Ankomah, a convict now incarcerated at Nsawam.
Oforiwa was arrested by the Kwahu Nkwatia Police on December 24, 2022. During interrogation, she admitted to using the Jesnat Cook cheques to fraudulently withdraw the total sum of GH¢81,060 from the affected accounts. Oforiwa also suggested that her boyfriend, Samuel Gyane Nyanteh, might have been involved, as he was the only person living with her at the time.
In sentencing Oforiwa, the court acknowledged her young age but emphasized that her actions were premeditated.
The court urged banks and financial institutions to enhance their ICT systems and provide regular training for staff to scrutinize cheques and other financial instruments before making payments.
The court stressed that protecting the interests of shareholders and depositors is crucial for maintaining public trust. As Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong noted, “The growing trend of such crimes is harming financial institutions and sabotaging the economy.”
