Fake Vice Presidential staffer remanded over alleged visa fraud
The accused, identified as Patrick Nii Torto, is alleged to have collected sums of GH¢5,325 and GH¢8,200 from his victims while presenting himself as both a Vice Presidential staffer and a captain in the Ghana Armed Forces.
A Cape Coast Circuit Court has remanded a man accused of posing as a staffer at the Office of the Vice President to defraud victims under the pretext of securing Canadian visas and work permits.
The accused, identified as Patrick Nii Torto, is alleged to have collected sums of GH¢5,325 and GH¢8,200 from his victims while presenting himself as both a Vice Presidential staffer and a captain in the Ghana Armed Forces.
According to police, Torto operated under the name Dr Patrick Nelson Ayittey and claimed to have links with the Canadian Embassy in Ghana.
He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of defrauding by false pretenses. However, the court, presided over by Madam Nana Aba Quiaba Nunoo, remanded him into police custody to assist with further investigations.
Torto was arrested at his hideout in Abura by officers from the Cape Coast Police Command following a complaint lodged at the Abura Police Station on Monday, February 16, 2026.
Police told the court that the alleged offences occurred between December 2025 and January 2026, and that the suspect failed to refund the monies despite repeated demands.
A search conducted at his residence reportedly uncovered about 10 Ghanaian passports and several personal documents, including school certificates, birth certificates and Ghana Cards.
Further investigations, police said, revealed that the suspect is neither an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces nor an employee at the Office of the Vice President, and has no affiliation with the Canadian Embassy.
Authorities also established that he is not a medical doctor or a holder of a doctoral degree.
He is expected to reappear before the court on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
