A Cape Coast Circuit Court has sentenced a 32-year-old driver to three years imprisonment for duping 51 people to the tune of ¢57, 510 under the pretext of securing them jobs in the public sector.

The convict, Mark Doughan, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretence but was found guilty by the court presided over by Dorinda Smith Arthur.

The convict is a driver who resides at Edukrom near Cape Coast. His accomplice identified only as Sadik is on the run, while one Albert Bruce, the main perpetrator, had already been imprisoned by the Court.

Sergeant Yakubu Iddrisu narrating the facts of the case said in February 2019, Bruce who claimed to be a senior police officer, met Doughan at Elmina and during a lengthy conversation, told him he could help people secure jobs in different parts of the public sector at a fee.

Bruce was said to have told Doughan that his friend, Sadik, whom he claimed was also a senior Police officer would facilitate the process.

Convinced, Doughan contacted one Naana Ibrahim, a witness in the case to help him secure jobs for people in the vicinity with fees ranging between ¢500 and ¢7,000 which he agreed.

Naana Ibrahim later handed over an amount of ¢147,000 she had collected from 51 victims awaiting recruitment to Doughan.

According to Sergeant Iddrisu, Doughan in turn transferred ¢79,490 out of the amount to Bruce and kept the balance of ¢57,510 to himself.

Sometime in July 2020, Mrs Comfort Adoma, a victim of the fraud lodged a complaint against Doughan and Bruce when jobs were not forthcoming and Bruce and Doughan were traced and arrested.

Bruce confessed to transferring some monies to Sadik.

The convict also admitted that he and Bruce had earlier sent some fake letters to the victims to report at various public offices under the pretext of recruitment after he realized the pressures coming from the victims had become unbearable.

Sergeant Iddrisu said Bruce and Doughan had so far refunded an amount of ¢31,000 to the police which had been shared among some victims.

He said the Police was on the heels of Sadik for prosecution.