By Issah Olegor
Court documents have shed further light on the criminal case involving Desmond Appiah Tanoh, popularly known as ‘Desmond Tutu,’ and NDC activist and a former Personal Assistant to the Director-General of the Ghana Scholarships Authority (GSA), following allegations that he and another former staff member collected GH¢13,000 from a student under the pretext of securing scholarships.
According to an investigation brief signed by D/Sgt. Bismark Agbesi, the GSA petitioned the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) after concerns emerged over alleged fraudulent scholarship activities.
Investigators allege that in March 2026, Desmond approached Martin Kwadwo Acheampong, a student from Old Tafo in Kumasi, claiming that scholarship slots were available through the GSA.
Acheampong reportedly paid GH¢10,000 for a purported foreign scholarship and GH¢3,000 for a local scholarship for his siblings, but the promised scholarships allegedly never materialised.
The investigation further alleges that Desmond worked with Gideon Osei Mensah, another former GSA staff member, who reportedly received GH¢1,000 from the proceeds. Following a complaint, an intelligence-led operation led to the arrest of the two men.
The investigation brief states that the accused persons admitted the allegations during interrogation and provided statements, while the GH¢13,000 allegedly collected from Acheampong was subsequently refunded.
Desmond and Gideon have since been arraigned before the Kwabenya Circuit Court, facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime, namely defrauding by false pretences, and two counts of defrauding by false pretences under Section 131(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
One substantive count concerns the alleged GH¢10,000 payment for a scholarship to study in the United Kingdom, while the second relates to the GH¢3,000 allegedly paid for a local scholarship.
The case has generated public discussion following claims that Desmond was being victimised by the GSA Director-General, Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei, over demands for salary and better opportunities.
However, the investigation documents present a different chronology, indicating that the criminal investigation arose from allegations surrounding scholarship payments rather than a dispute over employment conditions.
