A Young Bank Staff Accused of Stealing Over GH¢1.2 Million from Customers’ Accounts.
In a shocking turn of events, Emmanuel Sakyi Afriyie, a 25-year-old contract staff at Absa Bank Ghana, has been accused of unauthorized access to customers’ accounts and allegedly stealing an astonishing GH¢1,209,304.69. Among the affected customers are the late Ernest Ako, a former Inspector General of Police, and retired High Court judge Justice Anthony Kofi Adada, along with several others.
The accused is believed to have transferred funds from the customers’ accounts to 17 individuals, including his alleged accomplice Cecil Nyamesem Agyarkwa, who is the girlfriend of another accused person. Emmanuel, along with five others, namely Richard Aikins, Michael Tweneboah Oppong, Fouad Mohammed, and Caleb Bandoh, have been charged with various crimes, including theft and conspiracy.
While Emmanuel faces additional charges of forgery and falsification of accounts, the other accused individuals have pleaded not guilty to the offenses. Emmanuel has been remanded in custody, while the rest have been granted bail. The court has ordered the sureties to deposit their Ghana Cards with the Registrar and for the accused persons on bail to report to the police twice a week until the next hearing on June 26, 2023.
The prosecution outlined the sequence of events, stating that Emmanuel worked as a processing officer at the bank, handling tasks such as loan processing, debit card processing, and account maintenance. It was discovered that he had made an unauthorized payment for an online coding course using another customer’s Visa card. The suspicious transaction, coupled with Emmanuel’s sudden resignation, raised concerns among bank officials, leading to an investigation.
The investigation revealed that Emmanuel had accessed his colleague’s user ID and password to manipulate the contact number on another customer’s account, allowing him to gain unauthorized access and carry out fraudulent transfers. From April to May 2023, he allegedly transferred a significant amount from Ekua Ewuduwa Dadzie’s account to multiple recipients, including his accomplices.
Efforts are underway to apprehend the 11 accused persons who are currently at large, and investigations are ongoing to recover the stolen funds. The case has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the importance of robust security measures and vigilance in financial institutions.
