– Minister Warns as Abu Trica Stammers in Interrogation Chaos
By Gifty Boateng
Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George dropped a bombshell Friday: a fresh wave of cyber crooks is about to face the music, hot on the heels of socialite kingpin Fredrick Kumi, alias Abu Trica, snatched in a daring joint op by Ghanaian security and the US FBI.
Trica’s December 11 bust at his Swedru mansion in the Central Region exposed a slick AI-fueled scam empire that fleeced US victims of over $8 million.
Now bound for American courts on wire fraud and money laundering charges facing up to 20 years the 31-year-old “Snapchat star” couldn’t hide his panic.
A leaked interrogation video, sparking outrage over its release, shows Trica and his sidekick handcuffed on a couch, fumbling like amateurs.
NACOC Deputy Commissioner Alexander Twum Barima grilled them: “What’s your source of income?” Trica dodged, muttering he’d already told another officer, then snapped, “I do a lot of jobs.” Pressed harder, he punted to his lawyer. Classic game boy slip-up.
Minister George, Ningo-Prampram MP, didn’t mince words on December 12: “Just yesterday, one of my cyber agencies nabbed another so-called ‘successful’ guy but there’s no peace in that hustle.
We’re picking up three more in days. Cybercrime doesn’t pay; education does. They can take your cars, houses, but not your knowledge. I’m living proof.”
His ministry vows ironclad backing for agencies like the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) to make Ghana a no-go zone for digital bandits. “For God and country,” he pledged.
Family Drama and Legal Fireworks
Trica’s baby mama, nabbed alongside him, walked free Thursday thanks to activist lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor. “Our firm secured her release from unlawful NACOC arrest and abuse. Lawsuit incoming,” he blasted on Facebook.
The duo’s MO? AI deepfakes crafting fake online personas to romance-scam lonely Americans with eerily real chats.
George urged Ghana’s youth: Ditch the scams for books. Meanwhile, radio rebel Blakk Rasta caught heat wishing dancehall boss Shatta Wale already EOCO-grilled over a seized Lamborghini tied to scams would get cuffed next.
Shatta fired back: “Blakk Rasta, find a life. Music ain’t for everyone. Next you’ll say arrest Jay-Z.” His Shatta Movement chief chimed in: “Make legal money like Wale, show the way. Illegal? Ghetto youth, they’ll wipe you out.”
Nigerian Syndicate Smashed
The heat’s spreading. Saturday dawn, CSA and National Security raided Kasoa, bagging 31 Nigerians red-handed in a romance scam den. They’re in custody, spilling secrets.
George sealed it: “CSA has our full support to purge these criminals.” Ghana’s cyber crackdown just leveled up game boys, your time’s up.