An Accra Circuit Court has granted a retired Fire Officer, identified as Thomas Dorkenu, GH¢350,000 bail over a serious allegation of a GH¢303,200 enlistment scam involving 60 applicants. The case, initially brought before the court on July 28, 2026, centers around allegations that Dorkenu collected funds from individuals falsely claiming to be enrolled in the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) through protocol allocation.
Thomas Dorkenu, who appeared for the second time in the court, pleaded not guilty to a charge of defrauding by false pretenses. The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, has aggressively pursued the case, and the court’s decision represents a significant step in addressing the allegations.
The prosecution contends that Dorkenu, having served in the GNFS for several decades, possessed a significant knowledge of the number of protocol slots available for enlistment within the service. The prosecution argues that this knowledge suggests a highly improbable scenario where a single individual could be allocated all 60 slots.
Furthermore, the prosecution argues that Dorkenu is a flight risk, asserting that he is currently residing in the Volta Region, allegedly collecting the substantial amount involved. However, the defense attorney, Counsel, Mr. [Replace with actual Counsel Name], vigorously urged the court to grant bail, citing that Dorkenu was initially placed before the court on August 3, 2026, and remanded into lawful custody.
Mr. Dorkenu, during his testimony, refuted the prosecution’s claims, stating that the charges are ‘fanciful and full of allegations’ and that the assertion that he resides in the Volta Region is untrue. He asserted that he lives at Ashongman Estates, a retirement home, and that he would not want to jeopardize his pension after a long and dedicated service to Ghana.
The prosecution presented evidence demonstrating that the complainant was Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, while Dorkenu resided at Ashongman Estates. It was revealed that the alleged victim, Eyram Davordzi-Banini, a midwife resident in Akatsi, was approached by Dorkenu on February 9, 2026. The prosecution alleges that Dorkenu convinced her to mobilize prospective applicants for recruitment into the GNFS, instructing her to distribute the funds to him.
According to the prosecution, Dorkenu issued purported appointment letters to the applicants, directing them to report for training on July 23, 2026. However, the applicants subsequently complained to the GNFS Training School, where they were informed that the appointment letters were fake. They subsequently reported to the Chief Fire Officer, where they discovered that they had been defrauded.
The prosecution contends that the amount involved, GH¢303,200, was purportedly allocated as protocol charges, fixed by the complainant, Eyram Davordzi-Banini. The prosecution also claims that Dorkenu subsequently transferred the funds to the applicants, representing them as a legitimate payment for training.
It is crucial to note that the prosecution alleges that Dorkenu was arrested by the complainant and handed over to the Police together with a Techno Spark C30 smartphone believed to have been used in the alleged offense. The prosecution’s claim is that a digital forensic examination is underway on the phone, while the police are pursuing the user of the Telecel number associated with the alleged number.
The case is ongoing, and the court will be reviewing the evidence presented by both sides. The Bail amount of GH¢350,000 has been granted, pending the outcome of the trial.
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Source: Adom Online
