Couple granted bail after defrauding NIB

A couple accused of conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretence has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

Madam Rita Agyapong, a 36-year-old trader, and Mr. Michael Narh, self-employed, are on GH¢150,000 bail each, with three sureties each.

The court ordered that one of the sureties should be justified with any property worth the bail sum.

They were jointly held for conspiracy to commit crime and defrauding by false pretence, an offence they pleaded not guilty to.

The court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah adjourned the case to December 22, 2022.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Coleman Afesi, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Mr Emmanuel Agyapong, was the Operational Manager of the National Investment Bank (NIB), Dansoman branch, while the accused persons were a married couple, and both lived at Amomole, near Ablekuma.

The prosecutor said about seven months ago, Madam Agyapong persuaded her friend, Doris Boafo, to open an account at NIB and register for mobile banking for easy access to loans to which she agreed.

He said the couple requested her to bring the details to them to enable Mr. Narh to teach her how to operate it.

ASP Afesi said on June 21, 2022, William Asare (at large) de­posited at the Ghana Commercial Bank (GBC) a cheque with a face value of GH¢72,530.00 into Boafo’s ac­count to be processed as express.

He said the bank decided to re­verse the transaction, but it did not go through due to system failure.

The prosecutor said on June 22, 2022, between 3 a.m. and 5:10 a.m. an amount of GH¢29,000.00 was withdrawn from the accounts through mobile banking applica­tions, to wit, fast link, and web link, and disbursed on various mobile numbers.

He said within the same month, Boafo received an amount of GH¢5,000 in her mobile money account without knowing the source.

The prosecutor said she went to Madam Agyapong and discussed the matter with her.

ASP Afesi said Madam Ag­yapong later told Boafo that it was her husband who sent the money to her as a gift.

The prosecutor said on August 27, 2022, Boafo was arrested and cautioned to that effect and on November 15, 2022, investigations led to the arrest of the couple.