Sales executive held over more than GH¢3.7 million pharmaceutical drugs theft

A sales executive accused of stealing pharmaceutical drugs worth GH¢3,760,162 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Edward Danso Wiafe, a former Sales Executive of East Cantonment Pharmacy, has been charged with eight counts of stealing and money laundering.

Wiafe pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He has, however, confessed to using proceeds of the alleged crime to purchase a wiring mesh machine, a plot of land and invested some in road and toilet construction.

Also in the dock is Emmanuel Kofi Kyei, who is being held for allegedly dishonestly receiving drugs worth GH¢15,000. Kyei has also denied the charge.

The court presided over by Jojo Amoah Hagan admitted Wiafe to bail in the sum of GHC2 million with two sureties, one to be justified with landed properties valued of which must not be less than the bail sum.

Additionally, the court said the landed properties should be duly registered and stamped and be within the jurisdiction of the court.

In the case of Kyei, he was admitted to bail in the sum of GHC15,000 with two sureties.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah ,said the complainant, Bediako Amoafo-hene was the Chief Executive Officer of East Cantonment Pharmacy.

The prosecution said Wiafe, the first accused person, was a former Sales Executíve Officer of East Cantonments Pharmacy and resided at Tantra Hill, Accra.

Emmanuel Kofi Kye, the second accused person, a businessman residing at McCarthy Hill, Accra and a dealer in pharmaceutical products at Okaishie drug lane in Accra.

According to the prosecution, Wiafe had been a Sales Executive Officer for East Cantonment Pharmacy since 2009 and his responsibility was to look for customers for the Company to supply them with pharmaceutical products.

The prosecution told the court that some of the customers from whom Wiafe took purchase orders for the supply of drugs by East Cantonments Pharmacy included, Korle Bu Medical Stores, Korle Bu 24-hour Pharmacy, University of Ghana Medical Centre, 37 Military Hospital Chemist, Finney Hospital, Ga-East Municipal Hospital, St John’s Hospital and Aneja Hospital.

The prosecution said in 2022, the complainant detected that the above-mentioned customers were indebted to the Company.

It said letters were sent to the said customers concerning their indebtedness.

However, the prosecution said all the customers responded indicating that they never received the drugs as claimed by Wiafe.

The prosecution said the complainant detected that between the year 2021 and 2022, Wiafe took delivery of various drugs worth GHC3,760,167.38 for distribution to those customers.

It said the complainant and his account manager then questioned Wiafe, who confessed to having diverted some of the drugs meant for the specific customers to others, who were not known to the East Cantonment Pharmacy.

The court heard that the complainant petitioned the Director-General Criminal Investigations Department and Wiafe was arrested.

The prosecution said Wiafe, in his investigation caution statement, admitted the offence and mentioned Kyei as one of the persons who bought the diverted drugs worth GHC270,000.00 to.

Kyei was subsequently arrested, and he denied buying the quantity of drugs stated by Wiafe, claiming that he only bought drugs worth GHC 15,000.00 from Wiafe.

The prosecutor said the complainant also engaged his auditors to conduct an audit investigation into the activities of Wiafe.

The posecution said a search conducted by Police at Wiafe’s house led to the discovery of a wire mesh production machine.

The prosecutor said Wiafe admitted that he used part of the proceeds from the sale of the dishonestly appropriated drugs to acquire the machine at a price of $68,000.

Wiafe in his investigation caution statement, also stated that he used GHC50,000 from the proceeds of the crime to buy land located at Berekuso in the Eastern Region and invested GHCl,500,000 in road construction works and toilet project.

The prosecution said investigation found that eleven (11) invoices in respect of drugs totaling GH¢824,736.74 were assigned to Wiafe for delivery to Korle Bu Medical Stores within the period of February 11, 2021, to January 26, 2022, but the accused rather diverted the drugs.

The prosecution said four invoices in respect of drugs totaling GHC209,791.60 were assigned to Wiafe for delivery to Korle Bu 24 hours Pharmacy between the period of February 15, 2021, and May 6, 2021, but he never delivered it.

Additionally, the prosecution said 23 invoices for drugs totaling GHC1,1 10,072.74 were assigned to Wiafe for delivery to the University of Ghana Medical Centre between March 10, 2021, and August 17, 2022, but he failed to deliver the drugs to the customer and rather sold same to someone else without accounting for them.

Prosecution said 31 invoices for drugs totaling GHC1,380,719.25 were assigned to Wiafe for delivery to 37 Military Hospital Chemist between the period of January 13, 2021, to January 26, 2022, but he failed to deliver the drugs and sold it to different persons without accounting for same.

Again, the prosecution told the court that 16 invoices for drugs totaling GHC235,847.05 were assigned to Wiafe to deliver to Finney Hospital, St John’s Hospital, Ga-East Municipal Hospital, and Aneeja Clinic between November 5, 2021, and March 2, 2022, but he diverted the drugs.

The prosecution said Wiafe in his investigation caution statement disputed the total amount of GHC3,760,167.38.

The prosecutor said he, however, admitted dishonestly appropriating GHC3,308,131.44.

The prosecution said investigation revealed that on some occasions, Wiafe collected some drugs from other delivery officers, but made entries of the drugs in the names of the delivery officers.