Security personnel on the heels of accountant for alleged embezzlement

Takoradi, Oct. 4, GNA - Security personnel in Sekondi-Takoradi have mounted a search for Mr Dickson Banahene, Western Regional Accountant of the Forestry Department for his alleged involvement in financial malpractices, running into several millions of cedis. The deal was detected when Mr Banahene was handing over his office to another officer to enable him to proceed on leave.

The 33-year-old Accountant together with his wife were reported to have vacated their residence at Anaji, a suburb of Takoradi and efforts to locate them had proved futile, according to a source at the Department. The source said so far more than 300 million cedis have been uncovered.

A team of Auditors are currently going through the books of the Department to determine the actual amount involved. Mr James E. Manu, Western Regional Forestry Officer, when contacted by the Ghana News Agency at his office in Takoradi on Tuesday confirmed the story and said Auditors were auditing the books to find out the actual amount involved.

He said the Auditors might complete the auditing by Friday "after which the whole truth will be known".

Mr Manu said at this stage of investigation, it would be wrong to assume that Mr Banahene had bolted or speculate the magnitude of the alleged embezzlement.