Ex-SFO official in court for causing damage

Accra, Sept. 11, GNA - Flight Lieutenant Yao Kutsienyo (rtd), Assistant Director (Administration) of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), on Thursday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for causing unlawful damage to four door locks at the SFO.

Lt Kutsienyo, who was additionally charged with threat of harm, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Court chaired by Mr Emmanuel Ankamah granted Lt. Kutsienyo 20 million cedis bail with one surety to reappear on September 25. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Eric Amoako told the Court that the complainants were the Assistant Director of Investigation and a Security Officer of the SFO.

The Prosecution said on August 27 Lt Kutsienyo was served with a letter of interdiction in his house but returned to the office and started threatening everybody and dared anybody to approach him to collect the keys to his office.

The next day, he returned to the office, caused commotion and refused to hand over the office keys, therefore, the lock to his office was changed.

The Prosecution said Lt Kutsienyo returned to the office at about 2030 hours holding a handbag. Later in the night the security heard an unusual noise from the direction of his former office. The Security Man rushed to the scene only to find the accused with a hammer and nails breaking the door to one of the offices. When the security man confronted him, he warned the latter to leave the scene or face the consequences.

The Prosecution said when the accused left the premises, it was detected that he had destroyed the locks of three other doors. A report was made to the Police and the Lt. Kutsienyo was arrested.