Mr Isaac Adjei Marfo, the Director of Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL) has been granted GH¢50, 000 bail with one surety by an Accra magistrate court on Saturday for failing to pay social security contributions of staff totaling GH¢1,463,752.63.
According to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the amount which covered August, 2016, to October, 2019, also attracted accumulated penalty of GH¢1, 215,912.52, bringing the total indebtedness to GH¢2, 679,665.15.
The accused pleaded guilty to two charges of failure to pay contributions and accumulated penalty and he was convicted on his own admission of guilt.
Mrs Efua Sackey, a Circuit Court judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a magistrate, deferred sentencing to a later date.
Counsel for accused, Mr Courage Dartey, stated that his client was making efforts to discharge the liability.
He said Mr Marfo had applied for a bank loan to enable him to retire the outstanding balance.
While adjourning the case to February 15, 2020, Mrs Sackey urged accused to make a good faith payment of 10 per cent of the total amount so that a payment plan for the balance could be agreed on.
The prosecutor, Mr Fred Antwi Boasiako, of the SSNIT South Area branch, said AESL was covered by the Basic National Security Scheme under the National Pensions Act 2008, Act 776.
He said inspections carried out by officers of the Trust revealed that the accused failed to pay social security contributions of staff for more than three years.
Mr Boasiako told the court that the said amount and social security contributions paid after the fourteen day of the ensuing months attracted accumulated penalty of GH¢1,215, 912.52.
The court heard that a demand letter was served on the accused notifying them of their obligation to settle their indebtedness to the Trust, however they failed to oblige.
BY MALIK SULEMANA
