Richard Okai, a 26-year-old mobile money sales boy, has been accused of stealing about GH¢ 1,385,910.3.
His case is before an Adentan Circuit Court, but the court is waiting for the Attorney General's (AG’s) advice on what to do next.
He was first brought to court on March 7, 2024, where he pleaded not guilty to six charges of stealing various amounts. The presiding judge was Angela Attachie.
His charges included: count one; GH¢ 94, 596.30, count two; GH¢ 451, 048.60, count three; GH¢ 460, 983, count four; GH¢ 169,888.50, count five; GH¢ 129, 433 and count six; GH¢ 79, 961.
Last Tuesday, April 23, 2024, there was another hearing, but this time before a different judge, Nana Aba Quaiba Nunoo, who is sitting in as a relief judge. The case has been adjourned to April 29, 2024, for AG’s direction.
Brief facts
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, presented the case before the court. According to him, the complainant who lives in Kissieman near Achimota, Accra, owns a large cosmetic shop called Lilyna Enterprise at the Madina Market.
He added that the accused, Okai, also known as Kobby, is a salesboy who lives at UN, a suburb of Madina.
The accused is said to be responsible for mobile money transactions at Lilyna Enterprise, thus collecting monies from customers and depositing them into the company's merchant account.
The prosecutor said because the complainant trusted him, she did not feel the need to check if he was handling the mobile money correctly.
“On February 20, 2024, at about 10 a.m., some customers were paying through mobile money when Naa Mayley, the complainant's daughter and a witness in this case, noticed Richard acting suspiciously,” C/Insp Lanyo added.
Naa Mayley then took the company's mobile phone from him and discovered that he had transferred GH¢1,697 from the company's account to his personal mobile money account.
This led her to immediately inform her mother, and together they checked Richard's phone, finding many transfers from the company's account to his own.
The prosecutor added that they reported the incident to the police, leading to Okai’s arrest where he admitted to the crime during his questioning.
The police also requested a statement from MTN regarding Okai’s accounts, which showed that from December 2022 to February 2023, he had embezzled GH¢159,315.5, from August 2023 to December 2023, he had embezzled, GH¢463,489.6, and from January to February 2024, he had stolen GH¢87,098.5 This added up to a total of GH¢709,903.6.
Further investigations also showed that Okai had used some of the stolen money to purchase land in Akatanmaso in Accra and deposited GH¢7,000 in his Fidelity Bank account, kept GH¢3,000 in his mobile money account, and spent some money on gambling.
After the investigation, he was charged with theft and brought before the court.
Latest Stories
-
I was suspended in SHS after making a dance video with my uniform – Lisa Quama
23 mins -
GTA gears up for National Tourism Awards 2024
26 mins -
Prof. Gyampo criticises vacating of MP seats due to cross-carpeting
3 hours -
A critical examination of Speaker Alban Bagbin’s ruling on potential breaches of Article 97(1)(G) and (H)
4 hours -
Trump calls 6 January ‘day of love’ when asked about Capitol riot
4 hours -
UTAG calls for immediate prosecution of persons arrested for engaging in galamsey
5 hours -
Prof Ransford Gyampo: And Speaker Bagbin declared 4 seats vacant…
5 hours -
Secret Service has ‘deep flaws’ and must overhaul leadership, report says
5 hours -
Kenya’s deputy president sacked while in hospital
5 hours -
One Direction ‘devastated’ at Liam Payne’s death
6 hours -
Ghana’s debt to ease to 70% of GDP in 2024; another debt default unlikely – Fitch
6 hours -
Meta fires staff for buying toothpaste, not lunch
6 hours -
U-20 AFCON 2025Q: Afriyie’s brace earns Ghana draw against Benin
6 hours -
US ‘click to cancel’ rule to ban subscription traps
6 hours -
Speaker is completely out of order; he is wrong on this ruling – K.T Hammond
6 hours