Ghanaian Chef Arrested for Fraud, Faking Guinness World Record
Renowned Ghanaian chef, Ebenezer Smith, was arrested and detained at the La police station on Tuesday for allegedly defrauding one of his cooking marathon’s sponsors, Amadia Shopping Mall, of approximately GHC350,000.
Excel Magazine International reports that Smith’s arrest came shortly after he announced his achievement at a press conference at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, claiming to have broken the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
However, the PR Executive for Guinness World Records, Alina Polianskaya, has debunked Smith’s claim, stating that the certificate he displayed is not authentic.
According to Polianskaya, the current record holder for the longest cooking marathon (individual) is Alan Fisher (Ireland), who achieved a time of 119 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, from September 28 to October 3, 2023.
Fisher’s record broke Nigeria’s Hilda Baci’s previous record of 87 hours and 50 minutes, set on May 15, 2023. Smith had claimed to have cooked for 802 hours and 25 minutes straight, lasting 33 days, but his claim has been discredited.
The chef’s lawyer, Kofi Awoonor, attributed the arrest to a disagreement with the lead sponsor of the cook-a-thon. Smith’s cooking marathon took place at the Amadia Shopping Centre in Spintex, Ghana, from February 1 to March 5, 2024.
Ghanaians have reacted with outrage on social media, calling for Smith’s prosecution for faking his GWR certificate. The police are investigating the matter, and Smith remains in custody.
