Five granted GH¢20,000 bail each for allegedly stealing

Five individuals accused of stealing cash from customers of a savings enterprise have been granted GH¢20,000 bail each, with one surety required per person, by the Enchi District Magistrate Court.

Joseph Anyitei Nai, 49, a businessman; Moses Abiaw, 59; Seth Atobrah, 68; John Kwesi Asemiah, 68, all farmers; and Paulina Asare, 66, a retired educationist, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and stealing. They pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to reappear before the court on Monday, June 24.

Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare presented the facts of the case, stating that the complainants were depositors at Aowin Susu Enterprise and resided in Yakase, within the Aowin Municipality.

Nai, Abiaw, Atobrah, Asemiah, and Asare were identified as management members of the Susu Enterprise.

The other accused are Evans Antwi, 33, a teacher; Naomi Baidoo, 48, a farmer; Juliana Mensah, 35, a community health nurse; Vincentia Asante, 21, a student; and Philip Mahama, 27, a tailor who served as mobile bankers for the firm.

Inspector Agyare reported that the complainants had made a series of deposits into their respective bank accounts after joining Susu Enterprise.

On October 30, 2021, Nai, while reviewing the annual financial report, detected a misappropriation of funds. Consequently, he engaged external auditors from the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality to audit the company.

The prosecution revealed that the auditor's report indicated a loss of GH¢97,250 for the Susu Enterprise, attributed to management negligence, overspending, poor recording of depositors' funds, and the use of correction fluid and cancellations in their record books by mobile bankers.

The debt was reduced from GH¢97,250 to GH¢67,250 after accounting for GH¢30,000 used by the firm's management during operations.

Upon learning of the company's potential collapse, the complainants rushed to withdraw their funds but found their accounts empty. They proceeded to the Enchi police station to lodge a complaint against Nai.

However, Nai quickly arrived at the station, dissuading the complainants from taking action and assuring them that management was addressing the issues.

As soon as the complainants returned home and to their workplaces, Nai reported a case against Abiaw, Atobrah, Asemiah, and Asare at the police station. All were arrested, and Nai provided the police with the audited report.

Upon examination, officers determined that the misappropriation resulted from actions by both the management and the mobile bankers.

Nai, Antwi, Baidoo, Mensah, and Asante were arrested and cautioned.

The police then officially requested the bank statement of the Susu Enterprise from the Ghana Commercial Bank branch in Enchi.

The statement revealed that, aside from the enterprise's withdrawals, there were numerous unattributed withdrawals.

Mensah, Asante, and Mahama are currently fugitives, with ongoing efforts to apprehend them.