Stanbic bank girl arrested

A 33-year old worker of Stanbic Bank Ghana who was declared wanted by the Police for allegedly defrauding customers of the bank of more than GH¢900,000 has finally been arrested.

Suspect Martha Amakye was arrested from her hideout in Ashaiman a week ago by the police upon a tip-off.

Martha Amakye, who was working at the Tema Community one branch, allegedly contacted customers without any authorization and collected their money under the pretext of investing the amounts in fixed deposit instruments.

After payment, Miss Amakye issued some customers with fake bank deposit slips and later paid some of her victims what she said were interests for their investment, telling them the principal amounts would be reinvested.

Amakye, a personal solution consultant or sales officer was said to have collected the monies from customers of the bank between 2015 and 2016.

She was alleged to have promised the customers an interest rate of between 18 and 20 per cent per month, a strategy she used to lure the victims without the knowledge of the bank management.

The reports from the Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department and the Financial Crime Control Unit of the bank revealed that most of the victims paid their funds meant for the investment to Amakye in the banking hall, while others gave the money to her outside the bank.

After collecting the money, Amakye issued the victims with copies of suspected fake deposit slips.

Subsequently, more customers from other branches of the bank trooped to the Tema Community One branch of the bank on hearing about the juicy package.

On January 2, 2017, the bank detected her fraudulent deals and reported the matter to the police.

Suspect went into hiding and was not seen again until her final arrest a week ago.

She is to appear before an Accra Commercial Crime Court today for trial.

Meanwhile Mr Kojo Akoi-Larbi, Manager in charge of Communications of Stanbic Bank Ghana has commended the Ghana Police for their help in arresting Martha Amakye.

He said ‘We are grateful to the police for their help in effecting the arrest.”

Mr Larbi asserted, “Our primary objective is to always protect the interest of our customers using technology and all legal means to ensure that their savings and investments are secure and keep growing.”

He urged customers and the public to always collect receipts for all deposits made in the banking hall.

“It is helpful to carefully assess all financial products that promise very high interest rates well above the going market rate,” Akoi-Larbi advised.