- 48-year-old travel agent, Joseph Hammond, charged with visa fraud
- Allegedly defrauded woman and her three children of $15,500 and GH¢204,220
- Promised to secure Canadian and U.S. visas but failed to deliver
A 48-year-old businessman has been arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding a woman and her three children of $15,500 and GH¢204,220 under the pretext of securing Canadian and United States visas for them.
Joseph Hammond, a travel agent based in James Town, Accra, is accused of collecting the money and four passports from the complainant, Veronica Crentsil, in 2022, but failing to deliver the promised visas. He subsequently went into hiding.
Hammond faces three counts of defrauding by false pretences, one count of forging travel documents, and two counts of possessing forged documents. He has pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah, granted him bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 with four sureties, two of whom must justify with title deeds. The case has been adjourned to December 9, 2025.
Chief Inspector Clemence Takyi, holding brief for the substantive prosecutor, informed the court that the complainant is a businesswoman based in Accra. He said Hammond presented himself as a travel agent capable of securing visas abroad for interested applicants.
According to the prosecution, Hammond instructed the complainant to deposit the visa processing fees into a GCB Bank account belonging to J’HAMM’s Business Consultancy, his business entity. After receiving the funds, he allegedly failed to deliver the visas and went into hiding.
Several attempts by the complainant to recover her money and passports were unsuccessful. Hammond was eventually arrested on October 29, 2025, at his hideout in Adedenkpo, near James Town.
Investigations revealed that Hammond had allegedly defrauded several other victims, mainly women, using similar methods.
During his arrest, Hammond reportedly attempted to flee by climbing a ladder positioned behind his house—an escape route he had allegedly prepared in anticipation of police pursuit. A search of his room uncovered nine passports, including those belonging to the complainant and her children.
