The Gbese District Court has sentenced a man, identified as Fidelis Samuel Mensah, to 30 days in prison for impersonating an official of the National Identification Authority (NIA) and defrauding members of the public.

According to reports, Mensah posed as an NIA employee at the Authority’s Regional Office in Accra, where he falsely promised to assist applicants with Ghana Card registration and update processes.

Under the guise of facilitating the services, he allegedly collected money, mobile phones, and personal documents from unsuspecting individuals seeking assistance with their Ghana Card applications.

His arrest followed a joint operation conducted by the NIA Police Investigation Unit and officials of the Authority after several complaints were received regarding suspicious activities around the registration centre.

Appearing before the court, Mensah pleaded guilty to charges of stealing and defrauding by false pretences. The court subsequently convicted him on his own plea and handed him a 30-day custodial sentence.

Following the conviction, the National Identification Authority urged the public to remain vigilant and ensure they engage only with authorised NIA personnel at official service centres when seeking Ghana Card-related services.

The Authority also cautioned citizens against making payments or surrendering personal belongings and documents to unauthorized individuals claiming to offer registration assistance.