Owners of 2 collapsed banks put before court…for misappropriating over GH¢200m belonging to customers

The founder of UT Group, Prince Kofi Amoabeng, has been put before an Accra circuit court for his role in the collapse of his bank in 2017.

Mr Amoabeng is facing charges of stealing and money laundering.

He was put before court together with the CEO of defunct Beige Bank, Mike Nyinaku.

According to the prosecution, the two men who run different organisations, allegedly misappropriated funds in excess of GH¢200 million belonging to their customers.

The prosecution said investigations were still ongoing into their separate cases to ascertain the full extent of their offences.

The court, presided over by Justice Essandor, subsequently granted Mr Amoabeng bail to the tune of GH1¢10 million with two sureties who earn not less than GH¢2,000.

The Bank of Ghana on August 14, 2017, announced that it had revoked the license of UT Bank and ordered GCB Bank to take over its operation because it had severe capital impairment.

Provisional figures released by the central bank showed the total liability of UT Bank stood at GH¢850 million while its total asset was pegged at GH¢112 million.

Speaking on the matter after nearly two years after the BoG’s action, Kofi Amoabeng in a TV interview said the fortunes of the bank could have been turned around if the Bank of Ghana had given him more time.

“The government found us in that situation, [but] was this the best route to take? because we had investors who were ready with some proposals.

“They [government] decided that the best thing is to close down UT Bank which I find really difficult to take but from where they are sitting, they decide that was the best thing for the country.

“I don’t bear grudges but the point is, if as UT Bank we owed GH¢800 million and an investor comes and he says I’m ready to pay GH¢400 million [so] Bank of Ghana write off the [other] GH¢400 million, but BoG takes a decision to close down the bank, which will cost the nation at least GH¢ 2.2 billion, it doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.

Ghanaweb.com