A 36-year-old shea butter trader, Aisha Asumda, has been identified as the brain behind the botched nationwide police recruitment exercise which occurred this weekend.

Interestingly, this is not Aisha’s first brush with the law.

Addressing a news conference, the police announced that Aisha is actually a convicted fraudster who is currently on bail for a similar offence.

She is currently on the police wanted list for jumping bail.

Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Service, COP Prosper Agblor, announced they have mounted a search for her.

Some wannabe police victims of the fraudulent act mentioned Aisha as the one who took money from them and issued them the fake letters, he said, confirming that one of the fraudsters arrested over the weekend said he was working with Aisha.

Meanwhile, Director General of Police Human Resource and Administration, COP Patrick Timbilla says persons currently in possession of the police recruitment letters will be treated as suspects to deter others from falling victim to similar fraud.

“Enlistment is not like selling kulikuli or groundnut” at the market, he warned prospective recruits.

To be enlisted into the police service is akin to processes one goes through before travelling, he explained, one needs a passport, visa, ticket and at times medical documents to travel especially by air. 

He therefore warned the public against accepting offers from self-styled recruiters if they know that they have not gone through any selection processes.

He insisted, “We are going to arrest them (victims) for possession of false documents”.

COP Patrick Timbillah denied suggestions that recruitment into the police service was cumbersome hence the recurrence of recruitment fraud year on year.

He however maintained that recruitment into the service is done “meticulously” and only those who qualify are recruited.

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