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EOCO hunts for Lebanese national jailed for fraud

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The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has launched a manhunt for a Lebanese national who was sentenced to jail for five years over fraud.

Naji Khalil was on 5th August 2020 arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court 4 presided over by His Honour M.E. Essandoh after having been investigated for serious offences.

The accused at the time of investigation was a member of a notorious international organised criminal group including Nabil Zayani (Lebanese), Abraham Faouri (Jordanian) and Tony Michaelis.

They were charged with conspiracy to defraud by false pretence, defrauding by false pretence, participating in an organised criminal group, and conspiracy to commit a crime to wit money laundering.

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On 22nd June 2022, His Honour M. E. Essandoh sentenced Naji Khalil to five (5) years imprisonment with hard labour on two counts of Conspiracy to Defraud by False Pretence and Defrauding by False Pretence.

The convict was tried in absentia because he jumped bail during the trial and the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The three (3) others were at large at the time of the court action and therefore were not available to take their pleas.

EOCO has therefore appealed to the general public for assistance towards the arrest of the said convict to serve his just prison terms.

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Facts of the case

In April 2019, the victim Dr Khadidja Katir, an Algerian national, reported to EOCO and alleged that she had been defrauded by an organised crime group based in Ghana comprising four (4) suspects Naji Khalil, Nabil Zayani, Abraham Faouri and Tony Michaelis to the tune of USD138,000.

This was done under the pretext of airlifting ‘rough crystals’ worth USD 4 billion to her in Malta.

Following several telephone calls after the victim had transferred the money, the accused persons refused to pick up calls from her. However, on one occasion when they finally picked up her call, they threatened to kill her if she ever set foot in Ghana.

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Despite the threats, the victim Dr Khadidja Katir arrived in Ghana where she lodged a complaint at EOCO for investigation.

Investigations confirmed that the suspects are members of an international organised crime syndicate that defrauds members of the unsuspecting public.

Source: citinewsroom.com

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Justin Kodua Frimpong files nomination to seek re-election as NPP General Secretary

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General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.

He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.

Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.

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“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.

He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.

“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.

His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.

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The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.

The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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UGMC disputes Michael Blackson’s claims over late mother’s treatment

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The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.

In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.

The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.

According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.

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UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.

The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.

It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.

UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.

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The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.

The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.

Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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