A-G orders prosecution of 3 businessmen in Techiman

The Attorney-General’s (AG) Department has directed the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command to facilitate the speedy prosecution of three businessmen in the Techiman Municipality for fraudulent breach of trust.

According to the A-G, fraudulent breach of trust is a serious crime contrary to section 23 (1) and 138 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960, Act 29.

It also ordered the command to forward the caution statements of the three suspects – Jacob Agongo, Alhassan Issaku and Benjamin Dovu, all motorbike dealers in Techiman – to the A-G.

The directive was contained in a letter of advice signed by Theophilus Appoh, a Senior State Attorney at the Brong Ahafo Regional Office of the A-G’s Department in Sunyani and copied to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

It was in response to a case docket the command forwarded to the A-G’s office for advice.

According to the letter, Mr Meto Emile, the General Manager of the STE Evame Sarl Group, a Togo-based company that deals in motorbikes, started importing motorbikes into the country in 2008 and engaged the suspects to sell them on behalf of the company on commission basis.

It started that in 2012, the complainant had information that the suspects were preparing to abscond with the company's money, so he came down to Techiman and lodged a complaint at the Wenchi Police Station and the suspects were arrested.

"Upon their arrest, the suspects claimed that the complainant owed them the commission due them since 2008," it stated, adding the police conducted an audit and took separate inventory of the stock at the stores of the suspects, and 441 motorbikes were seized from them.

The letter indicated that in August this year, the company, through Power of Attorney, empowered one Kwadwo Adjei, another motorbike dealer in Techiman, to take over and sell the 441 bikes.

It said Agongo admitted that he had sold out the motorbikes and deposited the amount in the company's bank accounts.

According to the letter, the conduct of the suspects breached the Criminal Offence Act, and asked the police to immediately prosecute them to serve as deterrent to others.