BNI to investigate fake John Mahama UMB cheques

The Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) has reported to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to investigate what is said to be a photoshopped written cheque book in the name of former President John Dramani Mahama.

Two UMB cheques bearing the name of Mahama and issued to two candidates of the just ended National Democratic Congress, Joshua Akamba and Sammy Gyamfi, for the withdrawal of a total of 400, 000 cedis, surfaced on social media Friday.

Persons behind the cheques, which the UMB says are fake, claimed the amount was to be used to bribe delegates of the NDC to vote for two candidates in the party’s national executive election which ended Sunday in Accra.

Dated November 15, a total of 250,000 cedis was written in the name of Joshua Akamba while 150,000 cedis was in the name of Sammy Gyamfi. The two candidates won their bid in the election.

“I can confirm that the cheques are fake,” Managing Director of UMB, John Awuah said in a Facebook post on Monday
He pointed out that “the branch code 007 is our Bibiani branch whereas name on cheques reads Oxford Street branch”.

He corroborated Mahama’s claim that he does not have an account with the UMB Bank, saying “ex-president Mahama is not a customer of UMB and hence cannot own a UMB chequebook”.

Mr. Awuah revealed the Bank as at Monday morning has lodged a complaint with the BNI “so I am sure we will get to the source and cause arrest of the person/people involved”.

Joshua Hamidu Akamba, said to be with the John Mahama camp, beat Baba Jamal by almost a 1000 vote to become the national organiser of the NDC.

He polled 3,087 votes in the results declared by the Electoral Commission Sunday after two-day marathon voting to elect national delegates of the NDC in Accra.

Baba Jamal who was tipped together with former National Organiser Yaw Boateng Gyan to win the election garnered 2,106 of the votes. Mr, Gyan managed only 1842 votes.

Sammy Gyamfi was given a resounding victory by beating his only contender in the National Communications Director slot, Fred Agbenyo by almost 4000 votes.

Results by the Electoral Commission which supervised the elections showed Sammy Gyamfi garnered 6,225 while Fred Agbenyo managed a paltry 2,069.