An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a 43-year-old man accused of impersonating a military officer and allegedly defrauding a businessman of GH¢192,000 under the guise of providing security for landed property.
The accused, Mahama Sani Razak, who also goes by the name Major Zack Gariba Tanko, pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding Lambon Justice Iddrisu by falsely claiming he was a senior officer of the Ghana Armed Forces capable of deploying soldiers to protect land from land guards.
Razak was remanded by Circuit Court Eleven and is expected to reappear on February 10, 2026. The court also ordered the prosecution to ensure the accused is taken to a hospital for medical examination after he appeared in court on crutches and alleged he sustained injuries during his arrest.
Presenting the facts, Police Chief Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo told the court that the complainant is a businessman living at North Legon, while the accused claimed to be a miner based in Dodowa, within the Greater Accra Region.
According to the prosecution, the complainant owns parcels of land at Kwabenya, and in March 2025, the accused introduced himself to him as a military officer. He allegedly reinforced the claim by taking the complainant to Burma Camp, where he further represented himself as a Major stationed at the Military Police Unit.
The court heard that after the complainant complained about harassment from land guards on his Kwabenya property, the accused claimed he had the authority to deploy junior military officers to secure the land.
Believing the representation, the complainant agreed to the arrangement, after which the accused allegedly demanded and received GH¢192,000 to carry out the operation. The money was reportedly transferred through three different MTN Mobile Money numbers, each bearing different account names.
Despite receiving the funds, the accused allegedly failed to provide any security services and later went into hiding. Further checks with the Ghana Armed Forces revealed that Razak was not a military officer.
The complainant subsequently reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused. Investigations also revealed that one of the Mobile Money accounts used belonged to the accused’s wife, who reportedly admitted withdrawing money on her husband’s behalf.
Chief Inspector Teye-Okuffo said the accused was initially arraigned before Circuit Court Three on July 8, 2025, where he was granted bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 with two justified sureties. However, after meeting the bail conditions, Razak allegedly absconded, causing the case to be struck out on November 4, 2025, for want of prosecution.
The prosecution further told the court that in January 2026, the Accra Regional Police Command received intelligence that the accused had been arrested at Akuse in the Eastern Region in connection with a similar offence. A new charge sheet was subsequently filed, leading to his re-arrest and appearance before the court.
Counsel for the accused, Theophilus Donkor, prayed the court to grant bail, arguing that Razak is a businessman who owns two shops and three properties at East Legon, and is married to four women, three of whom are police officers. He also maintained that the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty and requires medical attention.
The prosecution opposed the bail application, describing Razak as a flight risk likely to abscond if released.
