Court sentences woman to 6 years in prison for faking her kidnap

A Ghanaian woman has been jailed for faking her own kidnap in Takoradi in the Western Region. 29-year-old Joana Krah was on Tuesday October 26, sentenced to six-years in prison by the Takoradi Harbour Circuit Court A on two counts of deceiving a public officer and publication of false news. 

 Ms Krah faked her abduction on October 22 in a bid to extort ¢5,000 from a relative. 

 Police say she conspired with two others to orchestrate the act after which a call was placed to her godfather demanding the ransom. After she pleaded guilty to the offences on Monday, October 25, 2021, she was arraigned before the court presided over by Michael Kojo Ampadu. 

 For the publication of false news, she was sentenced to two years in prison and for the charge of deceiving a public officer, she was sentenced to six years in prison to bring the total sentence to 8-years.

 However, both sentences are to run concurrently and so she is to spend six years in prison.

 The court said it took into consideration the fact that Joana is a first time offender, she has a child and the fact that she cooperated with investigators and reported herself to the police when the matter was reported to the police.