Oda SG-SSB closed down following arrest of top officials

Oda, Oct 11, GNA - The Akim Oda branch of the SG-SSB Bank has been closed down following the arrest of four of its top official, for allegedly embezzling GHc592,000 cedis belonging to the financial institution. They are George Sackey, Branch Manager, Charles Senyah, Accountant, Samuel Adu, Customer Service and Risk Officer and Francis Tetteh, Chief Cashier.

In a caution statement to the Police, Tetteh admitted that he used money belonging to the Bank for gold business and all the suspects were being held to assist in investigations.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Arzah Mamalieh, Akim Oda Divisional Crime Officer, who confirmed the story to GNA on Tuesday, said the Bank detected the theft and requested the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to assist in investigations. He said BNI officials brought Tetteh to the Akim Oda Police station for stealing GHc361, 000 cedis, belonging to the Bank, which he (Tetteh) gave to a man, whose name he only mentioned as Ofori, at Kasoa, to transact gold business but failed to repay the money. According to the Crime Officer, upon interrogation, Tetteh admitted that he stole GHc531,000 cedis from the SG-SSB Bank for gold business but denied knowledge of the remaining GH6,100 cedis. DSP Mamalieh said Tetteh disclosed that he initially stole Ghc170,000 for the gold business but his business partners whom he gave the money to failed to repay the amount.

The Crime Officer said the Chief Cashier indicated that in desperate efforts to get the money back, he came across Ofori who introduced him to a Chinese national, named Razak in East Legon in Accra, who deals in gold and Razak promised to give the Chief Cashier 11 million dollars for gold transactions.

DSP Mamalieh said according to Tetteh, Ofori informed him (Tetteh) that Razak released the 11 million dollars to him but the money was seized by some police personnel between Kasoa and Akim Oda road and sent to a Police Station in Accra and needed another amount to bribe the police to get the money back.

According to the Crime Officer, Tetteh said he gave Ofori GHc361, 000 cedis, which he took form the band for the bribe but Ofori absconded. DSP Mamalieh said the Police were pursuing Ofori and Razak but the Police could not locate any Police Station where the 11 million dollars was sent as claimed by Tetteh. 11 Oct 09

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