Former Absa Bank employee accused of embezzling approximately GHC1.2 million from customers' accounts has appeared in court for the third time.

According to a newspaper report from the Chronicle on June 30, 2023, it was revealed that the former Absa Bank staff, accused of embezzling around GHC1.2 million from customers' accounts, made their third court appearance.

As per the report, Emmanuel Sakyi Afriyie, aged 25, along with eleven co-accused individuals, appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on Thursday, June 29, 2023.

The prosecution's statement to the court, presided over by Her Honour Ellen Ofei-Ayeh, said six of the accused individuals reportedly surrendered themselves to the police after learning about the case through a media report.

The first accused (A1), Emmanuel, together with the others, will make their fourth and third appearances respectively on July 7, 2023.

However, the case was adjourned by the judge, Her Honour Ofei-Ayeh, after the prosecution prayed to the court that it needed more time to amend the charge sheet and the brief facts following the new accused persons who reported themselves.

Based on this development, the prosecution informed the court that they wanted to amend the charge sheet, which should have been done yesterday, but did not happen.

The accused person, Emmanuel Sakyi Afriyie, who is a former employee of Absa Bank and now a businessman, is facing 13 charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, stealing, forgery of other documents and falsification of account.

The other suspects, Cecil Nyamesem Agyakwa (A2), Richard Aikins (A3), Micheal Tweneneboah Oppong (A4), Faoud Mohammed (A5) and Caleb Bandoh (A6), who first appeared before the court with A1, have been charged with stealing and conspiracy commit a crime.

Those who voluntarily reported themselves to the police are Nicholas Nii Sai (A9), Nana Kwasi Gyimah (A10), Benjamin Adoari (A11), Boadu Nana Yaw Adjei (A13), Joseph D Amin (A14) and Othneil Amankwah Darkwa (A17).

The police are yet to arrest Clinton Asamoah (A7), Kwame Owusu Buado (A8), Daniel Osei (A12), Ernest Aryee (A15) and Issace De-Heer(A16).

The report also added that all the persons except A1 have been granted bail in the sum of GH¢200, 000.00 with two sureties for those who are gainfully employed and earning not less than GH¢2,500 a month.

Background

Emmanuel Sakyi Afriyie, a 25-year-old and contract employee of one of Ghana's biggest banks, Absa Bank, was arrested by security agencies for allegedly stealing about GH¢1.2 million from clients' bank accounts.

Among the accounts he pilfered are those belonging to a deceased judge and a former Inspector General of Police.

Afriyie is reported to have transferred some of the stolen funds to his personal account in another bank, as well as to the accounts of his 17 accomplices across various banks and their mobile money accounts.

He is also accused of embarking on a spending spree with his loot including using some of the funds to purchase an iPhone 14 Pro Max and a Toyota Camry.

According to the police investigation, the suspect planned to escape with his girlfriend to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates after purchasing an airline ticket.

However, luck was not on his side as security authorities acted swiftly, leaving a trail that led to his arrest at Kotoka International Airport on June 4, 2023.

"On June 4, 2023, A1 together with his girlfriend Ivy Okertchiri, who stood as surety for him attempted to escape from the jurisdiction to Dubai, but he was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport by the Ghana Immigration Service and handed over to the police," facts of the case as quoted by a report by the Chronicle Newspaper said.

According to reports, Afriyie allegedly obtained his boss' password by discreetly recording her as she entered it on her mobile phone.

He then used the recorded clip to determine her password and proceeded to carry out the fraudulent transactions from customers' accounts over two months.

Some of his accomplices were later apprehended, brought before a court, and were remanded in custody before being granted bail.

Afriyie is facing several charges, including conspiracy and theft, along with some of his aides. He also faces additional charges of falsifying accounts and forging documents, bringing the total number of charges against him to 13. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.