Former SIC sales representative remanded over fraud, theft

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a former sales representative of the State Insurance Company (SIC) over an alleged GHC35,900.00 fraudulent transaction.

Richard Kwame Appiah, 32, has also been charged for forging official documents to allegedly steal GHC93,363.00, which he has denied.

Appiah is expected back to the court on February 1, 2023.

Police Chief Inspector Maxwell Ayim had earlier told the court that the Complainants were: Madam Naomi Sakyi, a trader, a client of SIC and Mr Robert Asampong, Manager of State Insurance Company Limited (SIC) Sika Plan Unit, Makola Branch, whereas Appiah, the accused person, was a former Sales Representative of SIC, all residents of Dansoman, Cantonments and MaCarthy Hills respectively.

Chief Inspector Ayim said the accused person as part of his daily routine went round to collect contributions from his clients within the Accra Central Business District, also contacted and collected contributions from Madam Naomi as one of the policy holders of Sika Plan (Okum-Ka) and assured her that after maturity of the said policy, all the monies accrued would be given to her.

The accused with intent to steal, allegedly succeeded in convincing the complainant to contribute up to GHCI46,000.00 but made a down cheque of GHC52,637.00 to the complainant and failed to account for the rest, the Court heard.

The prosecution said Madam Naomi went to the outfit of Appiah to find out about the anomalies but the accused person was absent.

It said she was told by the Manager that the accused person had deserted his post since October 4, 2021 and all available means to locate him had proved futile with all his contacts unreachable.

The prosecution said a formal report was made to the Police on October 15, 2021, by Madam Naomi and the Manager also made another one on November 9 2021.

Further checks by the Manager and the Operations Manager, also a witness in the case, revealed that the accused person took GHC35,900.00 from clients without depositing same in the bank’s coffers.

The prosecution said the accused person also allegedly forged the official documents of SIC Life Company Sika Plan (Okum-Ka card), gave it to Madam Naomi and pocketed all the contributions amounting to GHC93,363.00.

It said the accused person was arrested on February 7, 2022, and in his cautioned statement, he admitted to the offence.

The prosecution said the card Appiah forged was retrieved from his room upon arrest.