Engineer held for uttering forged documents, money laundering and stealing

An Engineer has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on the charges of uttering forged documents, money laundering and stealing GHC 427,916 belonging to his employers.

Samuel Attuobi Wiafe Doffour has however pleaded not guilty to 139 counts of the three charges.

According to the Police, the monies allegedly stolen by the accused has been deposited into Doffour’s personal accounts with two different banks.

Dufour is currently on bail in the sum of GH GHC427, 916 with three sureties one of whom is to be justified. The sureties are to be in gainful employment and are to deposit their identity cards with the Court’s Registry.

The court further directed the Police investigator to verify the sureties’ places of abode.

Additionally, the court directed the prosecution to file its disclosures within 14 days and also gave it 18 days to file witness statements. The matter was adjourned to February 19.

Defense counsel Babone Yire Adafula prayed the court to admit his client to bail and that his client has a fixed place of abode at new Achimota in Accra.

Mr. Adafula said his client would not abscond from the jurisdiction and would appear at all times to stand trial.

Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah told the court that in granting, the bail terms should be such that the accused would appear to stand trial.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Anquandah said the complainant is the Managing Director of Promasidor Ghana Limited.

Prosecution said the accused until December 2016, was the Fleet Coordinator at Promasidor Limited responsible for the maintenance of all vehicles of the company.

Prosecution said some of the employees outside Accra who were assigned vehicles are however allowed to carry out repairs of these vehicles at their respective stations and at designated vehicle maintenance shops.

He said for repairs to be carried out on a company vehicle, the driver must first report the fault by completing a “Vehicle Defect” form.

Prosecution said after that an invoice is obtained from a dealer of the part that is required for the repairs. The invoice is then used by the Fleet Coordinator to request for funds from Management to enable the repairs to be carried out.

According to prosecution some time in November 2016, the management of the company observed a sharp increase in the cost of maintenance of the company’s vehicles.

The Audit Department was therefore called upon to verify the claims that emanated from the Fleet Department.

Prosecution said the Audit Department noticed during the verification process that the request for repairs for which money totaling GHC427, 916.55 was released did not occur.

He said management was then informed and they reported the matter to the Police leading to the arrest of the accused.

Prosecution said investigations revealed that no such repairs were captured on the Vehicle Defect forms, and also on the vehicles in question.

He said it was also found that Doffour through a witness in the matter, deposited almost all the funds released for repairs into his private accounts at Barclays and Fidelity banks from which he expended them.

Prosecution is expected to call 12 witnesses to make their case.