¢ 18 million cases of theft involving a doctor, 2 more postponed to February 2

The Accra-9 Circuit Court adjourned the case involving a doctor and two other people suspected of stealing ¢ 18 million on Monday to February 2.

This allows the trial judge to resume the case.

The tribunal chaired by Samuel Bright Acquah had previously granted a bond of 18 million ¢ with four deposits each to Patrick Henry Asiamah-Andoh and Job Kwasi Mensah for allegedly stealing 18,600,000 ¢ from their employer.

Sureties, the court ruled, should reside within the jurisdiction of the court, they should be officials earning at least 2,000 ¢ while defendants must report once a week to the Regional Police Command.

Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit the crime of theft and theft.

Their accomplice, Dr Isaac Musah Addo, was not in court when the case was first called in December 2020.

Chief Inspector William Kwadwo Boateng told the court that Mohammed Hama was the plaintiff and owner of Maiga Oil and a resident of Oshuman in Accra.

He said that Dr Addo, currently on the run, is a doctor staying in Mamprobi; Asiamah-Andoh was the managing director of Ezy Oil and a resident of Lashibi, while Mensah, a building technologist, resides at Lakeside Estate and also an employee of the complainant.

Chief Inspector Boateng said the plaintiff, who held an Oil Marketing Company (OMC) license, owned oil stations in Ablekuma and Oshuman.

He said that in February 2020, the complainant retained the services of Dr Addo and Asiamah-Addo to manage his gas stations as well as the OMC license for him.

The prosecution said Mensah also joined the two in March 2020 and that between February and March the three withdrew various sums of money from the complainant’s Stanbic bank account.

He said the funds were for the payment of taxes to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) totaling 15,000,000 ¢, Bulk Oil Storage Transportation (BOST) Company Limited, 600,000 ¢ and National Petroleum Authority (NPA), 3,000 000 ¢, all up to 18,600,000 ¢.

Chief Inspector Boateng said that, as a result, the GRA, BOST and NPA imposed an embargo on the complainant’s WTO license, which prevented his service stations from carrying fuel, so he questioned the accused but they could not account for the sums.

He then lodged an official complaint with the police, which led to the arrest of the three people and, after investigation, were arrested.

Efforts are underway to arrest Dr Addo, the prosecution said.

Rebecca Darko, their counsel, who was brief for Mr Boakye Agyemang, informed the court that Dr Addo had not fled but was not within the jurisdiction of the court when they were summoned.

She said the defendants had cooperated with the police since their arrest and had a fixed address.

Madam Darko asked the prosecution to provide the accused with all the necessary documents, on which they could rely for the trial.