BY Issah Olegor
Four young men accused of masterminding a sophisticated cyber fraud operation involving fake online food delivery platforms have been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.
The suspects— Elliot Sotama Atsu, also known as Boboss; Elijah Sotama Etse, alias Pop Smoke; Jethro Atsu, known as Kacidy; and Obed Selasi Agboli, alias Brooklyn — all aged between 20 and 21 years, are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretences contrary to Sections 23(1) and 131(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The Charges
According to the prosecution, from January 2025 to October 2025, the accused persons conspired to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaians by creating and operating fake online food delivery platforms that impersonated well-known food vendors including Papaye, Pizzaman Chickenman, KFC, and Mawarko.
These counterfeit websites and social media pages were designed to look identical to the original brands, complete with fake logos, menus, and ordering systems.
Victims, upon encountering the fake portals via search engines or social media advertisements, were lured into placing orders for meals and making mobile money payments in advance — only to discover later that their food never arrived and the platforms disappeared.
Police Operation and Arrest
The breakthrough came on October 10, 2025, when officers from the Cybercrime Unit of the Ghana Police Service, acting on credible intelligence, traced the syndicate’s operations to PK’s Luxury Apartment at Haatso, Accra.
The four suspects were arrested at their hideout after weeks of surveillance.
During the arrest, police retrieved 12 mobile phones believed to have been used in executing the online scams.
Investigators say the devices are undergoing digital forensic analysis to uncover communication records, financial transactions, and other electronic evidence linked to the fraudulent operations.
Preliminary findings indicate that the suspects also gained unauthorized access to victims’ mobile money wallets and bank accounts, siphoning funds under the guise of processing food orders.
Court Proceedings
When the case was presented before the Accra Circuit Court, presided over Jojo Amoah Hagan, the accused persons’ pleas were not taken, as police investigations remain ongoing.
Prosecutors, led by Detective Inspector Abel Amanie, prayed the court to remand the suspects to allow for further investigation, particularly the forensic examination of seized devices and tracing of accomplices believed to be operating in other regions.
The court granted the prosecution’s request, remanding the four accused persons into police custody.
The case has been adjourned to November 3, 2025.
