2 in court for allegedly stealing company’s GH¢252,923
Two people accused of siphoning GH¢252,923.92 from the account of Afro Arab Company Limited, a microfinance company, have appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court.
Michael Kumi Arhin, unemployed, and Michael Assibu, a Finance Manager, have pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit, stealing and stealing.
Grace Adade, the third accused, is said to be at large.
The court, presided over by Mrs Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, granted GH¢300,000 bail to Arhin and Assibu with three sureties, one to be justified with a title deed.
The court ordered the two accused to report to the police once every two weeks until directed otherwise, and adjourned the case to October 14, 2024, for Case Management Conference.
Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, prosecuting, did not oppose the bail, but prayed the court to make conditions of the bail to compelaccused to stand trial any time they were needed.
Prosecution told the court that the police were intensifying efforts to arrest the third accused.
Chief Insp Wonder said the complainant was Ebenezer EgirTetteh, the General Manager of Afro-Arab Company Limited and the three accused were former employees of the company.
The court heard that in the year 2022, Arhin, a loan officer of
the company, created an account in the company’s system for his girlfriend, Ruth Adomah, as a customer, with an account with the company.
Chief Insp Wonder said Arhin credited the said account of the girlfriend with monies through the help of Grace Adade, who was then a teller, with the approval of Assibu, the then Financial Manager.
The court heard the accused persons continued those transactions by crediting the account with several monies and they shared the money among themselves after withdrawal.
Chief Insp Wonder said in December 2022, Assibu resigned from the company when he sensed danger.
The prosecution said in January, 2023, Gabriel Quaye, a witness in the case, took over from Assibu as the Financial Manager.
Chief Insp Wonder said in an attempt to prepare financial statements, Quaye detected that Assibu was still having access to the company’s accounts system.
The court heard that on April 28, 2023, the company reported the matter to the police and Arhin and Assibu were arrested, but Adade escaped.
Chief Insp Wonder said in May 29, 2023, an audit was conducted into the company’s account by an external Auditor, who is also a witness in the case.
The prosecution said it was detected that Assibu was still approving transactions made by Adade into the account created by Arhin and five additional accounts by the accused as customers of the company.
Chief Insp Wonder said the additional accounts bore the names of; Mariama Ibrahim, AminaShaibu, Samira Alhassan, Sakinatu Mohammed and Joseph Agbotsey, even when Assibu had resigned from the company.
The court heard that the accused succeeded in stealing GH¢252,923.92, belonging to the company.
Chief Insp Wonder said during interrogation, the accused admitted the offences and refunded GH¢72,000, which has been released to the complainant.
—GNA
