General News of Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Source: Starrfmonline.com
The CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Kwaku Sakyi Addo has said that those found guilty of SIM box fraud must be prosecuted to deter others from engaging in the act.
According to Sakyi Addo, arresting SIM box fraudsters is commendable but prosecuting them would make it unattractive for others who wish to venture in the illegal activity.
His comments come after a former president of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association, (GREDA), Dr. Alexander Tweneboah, was arrested Monday for sponsoring the activities of SIM box fraudsters.
Dr. Tweneboah has confessed to committing the crime and owning the devices used in the illegal activities, according to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Speaking on Morning Starr on Starr 103.5FM Tuesday, the former BBC correspondent said it is quite alarming that only one person has been prosecuted for SIM box fraud despite the several arrests made over the last six years.
“Periodically there are arrests made and press conferences are held and prosecutions are done but it is significant to note that since the phenomenon of SIM boxing began about six years ago, there has only been one successful prosecution,” Sakyi Addo told host Kafui Dey.
He added: “The arrests are one thing and the successful prosecution is also another, of course the task force is not responsible for prosecution but as far as they are concerned they have done their bit and they have handed over to the relevant authorities for prosecution.
“Maybe apart from the one successful prosecution, the other suspects are still on trial and one has to find out whether they have been acquitted and discharged or the trial is still ongoing but the key point is that over the last six years there has been only one successful prosecution”.