Five staff of the National Investment Bank (NIB) and a trader on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly siphoning GHc1, 111,585.00 from the bank’s general accounts.
The bank officials are: Collins Frank Kubi, Matthew EsumahAmporful, Eric Turkson, Richard Besseah Asante, and SaviourWalanyoBalamey. Leonard KwekuTawiah is the trader.
They have been variously charged with 15 counts of conspiracy to steal, stealing and money laundering.
The five bank officials are said to have distributed various amounts into some customers’ accounts and facilitated their withdrawal.
They are alleged to have convinced the customers to allow them to receive monies from the bank for works they have done for the bank. The amount allegedly stolen is estimated at GHC1,111,585.00.
The five worked as authorisers, and vetting supervisors of the Finance and Strategy Department of the bank.
The accused, who had legal representations,denied the charges and were granted bail.
The court presided by Ms Ellen Asamoah set the bail conditions in the sum of GHC5 million each with three sureties, and each of the sureties were to be justified.
They are to report to the Police every Wednesday and the trial was adjourned to March 20.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare, said on December 20, last year, the Audit and Bank Inspection Department detected that GHC 2,612,031.45 has illegally been transferred from the bank’s General Account into various accounts
The accounts include Our Daily Bread Enterprise, Prime Avenue Consult and Emmanuel Bright Bugrees, all customers of the bank.
ASPAsare said a report was made to the police and accused were arrested.
He said during investigations five of the Bank’s staff confirmed transferring monies: GHC288,046.00; GHC250,600.00; GHC125,400.00; GHC174,719.00; GHC271,820.00 into various accounts between February 2019 and December, 2019.
Prosecution said further investigations revealed that accused used part of the monies to purchase properties, including a three-bedroom house and four vehicles.
ASP Asare said the four vehicles have been impounded by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service. – GNA
