Accra: An Accra Circuit Court has granted a retired Fire Officer, Thomas Dorkenu, GHS350,000 bail over an alleged GHS303,200 enlistment scam involving 60 applicants. Dorkenu, aged 60, is accused of collecting money from these applicants under the pretense of securing their enlistment into the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) through protocol allocation. Appearing before the court for the second time, Dorkenu pleaded not guilty to a charge of defrauding by false pretenses. He was granted bail with two sureties, and the case was adjourned to September 24, 2026.
According to Ghana News Agency, the prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, opposed the bail application, requesting an additional two weeks to complete investigations. The prosecution stated that the investigation was at an advanced stage and emphasized that Dorkenu, given his extensive service in the GNFS, was aware that such protocol allocations could not be granted to a single individual. Furthermore, the prosecutor argued that Dorkenu posed a flight risk, as he was allegedly residing in the Volta Region where the funds were collected.
The defense counsel countered the prosecution's claims, urging the court to grant bail by highlighting that Dorkenu had been in police custody since his arrest on July 28, 2026. The counsel argued that Dorkenu was first brought before the court on August 3, 2026, where he was remanded into lawful custody. The defense contested the prosecution's assertions, describing them as 'fanciful and full of allegations' and refuted claims about Dorkenu's residence, insisting that he lived at Ashongman Estates and not in the Volta Region.
The prosecution further detailed the case, explaining that the complainant was the Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, and that Dorkenu supposedly resided at Ashongman Estates. An alleged victim, Eyram Davordzi-Banini, a midwife from Akatsi, was approached by Dorkenu on February 9, 2026. Dorkenu allegedly informed Eyram about securing enlistment slots from the complainant and requested her to mobilize prospective applicants for recruitment into the GNFS. Eyram reportedly gathered 60 applicants and transferred GHS303,200 to Dorkenu as the said protocol charges.
Dorkenu allegedly issued appointment letters to the applicants, instructing them to report for training on July 23, 2026. However, upon arrival at the GNFS Training School, the applicants discovered that the letters were fake. The defrauded applicants subsequently lodged a complaint with the Chief Fire Officer, leading to the revelation of the scam. Following this, Dorkenu was apprehended by the complainant and handed over to the police, along with a Techno Spark C30 smartphone suspected to have been used in the offense.
The prosecution indicated that a caution statement was obtained from Dorkenu in the presence of an independent witness, wherein Dorkenu confessed to the offense but claimed to be a victim of a larger scam involving a Telecel number. Currently, the phone has been sent for digital forensic examination while the police are tracing the user of the Telecel number.