Five individuals have been arrested in Accra for their alleged involvement in printing counterfeit GH¢200 and $100 notes, with a total face value of GH¢2.3 million and $191,900, respectively.

The accused, who appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on Friday, include Shubham Sharma (General Manager), James Mozu Bonaparte (graphic designer), Prince Owusu Ahenkorah (photographer/video director), and Jonathan Kwame Appiah and Solomon Adjetey Adjei (both graphic designers).

They have been jointly charged with conspiracy to commit a crime. In addition, Sharma, Bonaparte, and Ahenkorah face charges of possessing forged currency, while Appiah and Adjei are charged with uttering forged notes.

Presiding Judge Samuel Bright Acquah remanded all five into custody, with their next court appearance scheduled for July 3, 2025. Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, prosecuting the case, requested the remand to allow for further investigations.

According to police reports, the arrests followed intelligence gathered on June 16, 2025. The complaint was filed by an Accra-based businessman, whose name has been withheld.

Sharma, the primary suspect, allegedly stole $230,000 from the businessman’s bedroom safe and replaced it with counterfeit Ghana cedis and US dollars.

A subsequent search of the company’s cash office at the Adabraka Industrial Area uncovered GH¢2,318,000 in fake GH¢200 notes and $191,900 in fake $100 bills. Sharma reportedly admitted storing the counterfeit currency in the office.

Investigations revealed Sharma paid Bonaparte GH¢25,000 for the fake Ghana cedis and GH¢15,000 for the forged US dollars. Bonaparte and Ahenkorah are alleged to have collaborated to supply the counterfeit notes.

Further searches led to the discovery of five bundles of fake GH¢200 notes in Ahenkorah’s possession. He later implicated Appiah, who manages the printing press where the notes were allegedly produced.

Appiah then led police to arrest Adjei, who is said to have handed the fake notes to Ahenkorah.

The case remains under investigation.