By
Joyce Danso, GNA
Accra, Jan. 24, GNA –
An Engineer has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on the charges of
uttering forged documents, money laundering and stealing GH¢427,916 belonging
to his employers
Samuel Attuobi Wiafe
Doffour has however pleaded not guilty to 139 counts of the three charges.
According to the
Police the monies allegedly stolen by the accused has been deposited into
Doffour’s personal accounts with two different banks.
Doffour is currently
on bail in the sum of GH¢427, 916 with three sureties one of whom is to be
justified. The sureties are to be in gainful employment and are to deposit
their identity cards with the Court’s Registry.
The court further
directed the Police investigator to verify the sureties’ places of abode.
Additionally, the
court directed the prosecution to file its disclosures within 14 days and also
gave it 18 days to file witness statements.
The matter was
adjourned to February 19.
Defense counsel
Babone Yire Adafula prayed the court to admit his client to bail and that his
client has a fixed place of abode at new Achimota in Accra.
Mr. Adafula said his
client would not abscond from the jurisdiction and would appear at all times to
stand trial.
Chief Inspector
Isaac Anquandah told the court that in granting, the bail terms should be such
that the accused would appear to stand trial.
Prosecuting, Chief
Inspector Anquandah said the complainant is the Managing Director of Promasidor
Ghana Limited.
Prosecution said the
accused until December 2016, was the Fleet Coordinator at Promasidor Limited
responsible for the maintenance of all vehicles of the company.
Prosecution said
some of the employees outside Accra who were assigned vehicles are however
allowed to carry out repairs of these vehicles at their respective stations and
at designated vehicle maintenance shops.
He said for repairs
to be carried out on a company vehicle, the driver must first report the fault
by completing a “Vehicle Defect” form.
Prosecution said
after that an invoice is obtained from a dealer of the part that is required
for the repairs. The invoice is then used by the Fleet Coordinator to request
for funds from Management to enable the repairs to be carried out.
According to
prosecution some time in November 2016, the management of the company observed
a sharp increase in the cost of maintenance of the company’s vehicles.
The Audit Department
was therefore called upon to verify the claims that emanated from the Fleet
Department.
Prosecution said the
Audit Department noticed during the verification process that the request for
repairs for which money totaling GH¢427, 916.55 was released did not occur.
He said management
was then informed and they reported the matter to the Police leading to the
arrest of the accused.
Prosecution said
investigations revealed that no such repairs were captured on the Vehicle
Defect forms, and also on the vehicles in question.
He said it was also
found that Doffour through a witness in the matter, deposited almost all the
funds released for repairs into his private accounts at Barclays and Fidelity
banks from which he expended them.
Prosecution is
expected to call 12 witnesses to make their case.
GNA