“A Ghana-based, Jamaican lawyer, Colleston Anthony Morgan has been arrested by the police for defrauding the Nkosoheman of Aburi of more than $100,000.” Daily Graphic.

It is commonly the case that due to our ignorance and our excitement as new repatriates, we are easy marks for fraudsters seeking to capitalize on our enthusiasm. However, the last person you might expect to be that snake in the grass is your own brethren, born and raised in your hometown, with knowledge of how hard you have sacrificed to make it this far.  And a lawyer at that.

Up until recently, when Colleston Morgan decided to add to his long list of victims, one Aloma Ingram, he was sailing through life, impervious to his crimes and their consequences.  In 2001, he escaped two civil cases in America, each pending in different states, charged by the mother’s of children he abandoned.  He landed in Ghana, on the strength of a woman, half his age, donned some locks to achieve the look of raspectability and settled in for a life of ease. Just after a year of being here and spending the savings of his new host, the parasite sent her back to the States, with their two children, to earn more money and come.  In the mean time, he resorted to his old tricks.  First he partnered with two Rases, one from Jamaica and the other from Trinidad, and proposed they start a fish pond, which proved to be a very good idea. But rather than grow the business timely, he greedily stole the very first harvest of fish.  His two partners, after losing substantial amounts in land purchase, labor and equipment, decided to humbly bow out, rather than start the war that would have  ensued on account of the theft.  Having swiveled his way out of that one, he realized he would have to prey on victims from outside the Ras community, as his ways had been identified within.  He easily moved into the company of white expatriates looking to settle in Ghana.  He presented himself as the ready ‘dready’ with whom they love to deal, complete with a law degree.  He succeeded in getting various contracts and began making a living through numerous cons.  His main claim was not as a lawyer, but as a building contractor.  Imagine that, someone that can build your home and insure that all the legal documents are also in order.  The lure was tempting and his net swallowed some big fish.  His game wasn’t to all out disappoint, but to stretch out the mark by doing some of the work and giving excuses for the rest, easily achieved when entrusted to build in the absence of the owner.  This went on until those victims, all living within a 5 mile radius, got to know one another and decided to put a stop to it.  Two Europeans approached him about repayment of large sums of money, uncompleted contracts, and other issues of contention, to which he responded by shooting a pump-action shot gun at their house.  His sense of  being untouchable was enhanced by his close relations with the local police station.  However, the Europeans reported the matter to the district Commander and had Morgan arrested.  Once in jail he talked his way out by promising to make amends, which he did quickly, to remedy the situation.  But he learned no lesson, instead he brushed off his clothes and made friends with an even bigger mark, Ms. Aloma Ingram.

Ms. Ingram was born and raised in Jamaica and came to Ghana with grand plans of repatriating.  She was introduced to Morgan by another lawyer friend who thought that, considering her goals and their common birthplace, they would hit it off well.   Morgan put on the charm that he his known for and whisked Ms. Ingram away with hopes and dreams of grandeur.  They agreed that she would build a school, for which his first task was to secure the land and documents.  After returning to the States, Ms. Ingram contacted some of Morgan's family members and felt comfortable enough to commence the business.  Over a $100,000 was transferred to purchase x amount of plots and start with the building.   Monies that Ms. Ingram secured by taking out a mortgage on her house and borrowing from friends and family, all who trusted her implicitly.  Due to the magnitude of the project, Ms. Ingram listened to her wise mind and decided to make an unannounced visit to check on the progress.  Upon her arrival she was met with the worse shock of her life.  The works were not being done and Morgan was casually putting her off.  Enraged she called upon all her strength and those of the community where she was now Queen Mother and waged war against Morgan.  Unlike most of his previous victims, Aloma Ingram wasn’t having it!  She went straight to the head of police in Ghana and had him arrested.  After spending a week in jail,  he CONvinced someone to put up their house for his release.  Out on bail, one would think he'd try to escape his imminent doom, but then, with cases pending in America and an apparent trail in Jamaica, he is lost for a refuge or a soul to care.  Instead, he proved more insolent.  Without showing any sign of remorse or appealing to Ms. Ingram's kindness, Morgan had the nerve to charge her with breaking and entering. Up surd and beyond foolish, this trained lawyer concocted the most bogus story and put his victim through a further ordeal.  However, so porous was his story that the witnesses he brought to testify against  Ms. Ingram were both arrested.  It seems that an inkling of sense reached the his head when he decided not to contest the charges of fraud, rather to come to court with the equivalence of barely $2,500, in which to repay Ms. Ingram.  Laughable, though convenient, as he has saved the courts the ordeal of proving his guilt. Still, admission didn't buy him a one way ticket to jail, instead it bought him time.  Could lead you to think Ghana courts promote this kind of behavior, considering its lenient response.  Imagine that, steal a car and bring back the tires and promise the front fender on your next visit.

His type is not common, he is certainly in a class by himself, but a wise mind would take heed to learn from this victim's experiences, rather than fall into a trap of the same kind.