Ghanaian steals millions from Chinese in Malawi

A 23-year-old Ghanaian national, Maxwell Boamah Owusu, has been arrested in Lilongwe, for allegedly defrauding a Chinese-owned company, Purity Sanity Products, of approximately K202.5 million.

Owusu posed as a businessman, offering to convert the company’s money from Malawi Kwacha to Chinese Yuan, and disappeared with the cash after the company handed it over.

Police investigations revealed that Owusu had transferred the stolen funds into a bank account provided by his alleged accomplices. Fortunately, the police have recovered the funds.

Owusu confessed that he was sent by a Chinese national to swindle three companies using the same trick, and that he had already duped one company before failing with the other two.

The police are now intensifying their probe to track down other suspects behind what appears to be an international fraud syndicate targeting businesses in Malawi.

The masterminds behind the scam, including a Lebanese businessman in Malawi and other foreign nationals, are believed to have paid for Owusu’s air ticket and accommodation, promising him a mere USD 500 for his role in the multimillion-kwacha operation.