Accountant on bail for stealing state revenue

A 52-year-old Accountant of the Cape Coast Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), Emmanuel Osafo Adumah, was on Friday granted bail in the sum Ghc100,000 with two sureties, one to be justified, by a Cape Coast Circuit Court for allegedly stealing Ghc82,977, being revenue collected on behalf of the state.

Adumah pleaded not guilty and will re-appear in court on Wednesday June 4.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Charles Anku, told the court presided over by Ms. Florence Okai Otu, that in the month of August, 2013, the complainant one Madam Hannah Eshun, who is the Regional Director of BDR, observed that the revenue statement from the department was very low.

The prosecution said Mrs. Eshun conducted her own investigations and discovered “under-carboning” of some of the revenues paid to the department.

He said Madam Eshun, therefore, alerted the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, and the accused person's records were subsequently audited.

Chief Inspector Anku said the auditors discovered non-payments of cash revenue into state accounts, amounting to Ghc82,977.

He said a complaint was lodged at the police station which led to the arrest of the accused.

Chief Inspector Anku said during interrogation, the accused person admitted the crime and said he had used the money to cater for his family and also furnish his room.

He said Adumah was earlier put before court and granted bail with the assurance of refunding the amount involved, but only paid Ghc5,600.00 and absconded, but his sureties later after several days of search arrested and handed him over to the police.