Legal trainee arrested for forged court document

By Joyce Danso

Accra, September 5, GNA – The Ghana Police have arrested a trainee lawyer in Accra for allegedly forging court orders containing case numbers, marriage and divorce certificates and other documents.

Henry Odartey Lamptey, 39, is alleged to have forged the signatures of the Deputy Secretary of Justice and other judges of the High Courts of Adenta and Cape Coast, including in the dissolution of marriages.

Lamptey is charged with eight counts of forgery.

He has pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Isaac Addo, ordered Lamptey to post bail in the sum of GHC500,000 and two sureties, one of whom must be a public servant and earn at least GHC3,000.

The court also ordered that the guarantor’s salary statement must be certified by his department head.

The matter was adjourned to 7 October 2024.

Prosecutor Kofi Anane, Deputy Superintendent of Police (ASP), led by Superintendent of Police Sylvester Asare, told the court that in June 2014, the Ghana Police Service received a petition from the Minister of Justice of Ghana accusing Lamptey and his accomplices, who are still at large, of forging marriage and divorce certificates, court orders and other official documents.

According to the prosecution, Lamptey worked as a clerk in a law firm on Zongo Lane.

The prosecution stated that after receiving the petition, the police began monitoring the accused.

The court heard that Seidu Adams, currently standing trial before Circuit Court 11 in Accra, was arrested on August 13, 2024, after forging a letter dated November 22, 2023, bearing the official seal of the judiciary and signed by the Deputy Secretary of Justice.

Following Lamptey’s arrest, his bag was searched and a number of documents were seized, including court orders allegedly signed and issued by Justice Patrick and Justice Mariam Sammo, judges of the High Courts of Cape Coast and Accra respectively.

The prosecution presented marriage certificates, divorce certificates, letters signed by the Secretary of Justice, as well as letters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Registrar of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

The court was told that Seidu Adams, a defendant in the trial in Circuit Court 11, mentioned Lamptey as his accomplice.

On August 29, 2024, Lamptey was arrested and admitted the crime during the investigation.

Lamptey admitted that he had forged the AMA letter for 300 cedis and had always backdated the letters to meet the wishes of customers.

Prosecutors said Lamptey led police to his office and room the same day, where a search found several documents, including divorce certificates from the Berekum and Madina District Courts, marriage certificates and divorce papers, traditional marriage certificates and forms.