A law clerk from a firm in Accra has appeared before the Accra Circuit Court, facing allegations of forging the signatures of the Deputy Judicial Secretary along with other High Court orders.
Henry Odartey, 39, faced eight counts of forgery of judicial or official documents during his court appearance before Judge Isaac Addo.
The individual in question has refuted the allegations against him and has secured bail set at GH¢ 500,000, contingent upon the justification of two sureties.
According to the stipulations of the bail conditions, it is required that one of the sureties holds a position as a public servant with a minimum salary of GH¢ 3,000.
The court has postponed the case until October 7, 2024.
Details presented by the prosecution
In June 2014, the Ghana Police Service was presented with a petition from the Judicial Secretary of Ghana. The petition alleged that Lamptey, along with accomplices who remain at large, was involved in the forgery of marriage and divorce certificates, court orders, and various official documents.
The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Anane, stated that Lamptey served as a clerk in a chamber located on Zongo Lane.
Upon receiving the petition, authorities initiated surveillance on the individual in question.
On August 13, 2024, Seidu Adams, presently facing trial in Circuit Court 11 in Accra, was apprehended for allegedly forging a letter dated November 22, 2023. The document bore the judicial service seal and was purportedly signed by the Deputy Judicial Secretary.
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In the wake of Lamptey’s arrest, authorities conducted a search of his bag, uncovering multiple documents. Among these were court orders that were allegedly signed and issued by Justice Mariam Sammo of the Accra High Court.
The prosecution introduced a series of documents, including marriage certificates, divorce decrees, correspondence signed by the Judicial Secretary, and letters from both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Marriage Department of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
Accomplice
The prosecution presented to the court that Seidu Adams, who is currently on trial in Circuit Court 11, identified Lamptey as his accomplice.
On August 29, 2024, Lamptey was taken into custody and confessed to the crime during the course of the investigation.
Lamptey reportedly confessed to the prosecution that he created a forged AMA letter for GH¢300 and routinely backdated letters to accommodate customer demands.
According to the prosecution, Lamptey guided the police to both his office and his residence on the same day. During the search, authorities uncovered a variety of documents, which included divorce certificates from the Berekum and Madina District Courts, as well as marriage and divorce certificates, customary marriage certificates, and related forms.
