Church credit union case: Police tell court to review accused person's bail after being held for stealing GHC328,221

The Police have asked an Accra Circuit Court to review the bail conditions of one of the three persons accused of embezzling GHC328,221, being depositors' funds, from a church credit union.

Superintendent of Police Augustus Yirenkyi, said Esther Ofori, a cashier and one of the accused persons was a flight risk because she now resided at Kumasi instead of Accra.

According to the prosecution, details of the bail conditions pertained to Accra and that the Police did not know her current location in Kumasi.

The prosecution also prayed the court to order Esther to furnish the court with her medical report for the court’s consideration.

Mr Michael Tetteh, defence Counsel for three accused persons, said Esther would furnish the court with her medical report by Tuesday March 19, 2024.

Mr Tetteh told the court that Esther was currently undergoing treatment and that she should be excused.

The court presided over by Mrs Kizita Naa Koowa Quashie maintained that Esther should come to court and counsel should repeat his prayer before the court on March 19, 2024.

The court at its last sitting ordered defence counsel to produce Esther Ofori, the third accused person who was absent in Court,

The two other accused persons are Joseph Acheampong, a Consultant/ Manager and Kenneth Osei-Ansong, a Recovery Officer. The three accused persons worked at Christian Pentecostal Church (CPC).

The accused persons have been charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing. They have denied the charges and are on bail.

Meanwhile, the court has taken the evidence of Apostle Daniel Obeng, the first prosecution witness, and was being cross-examined by defence counsel, Mr Tetteh.

In Apostle Daniel Obeng’s evidence-in-chief, he admitted knowing the accused persons and that he made a complaint against them.

According to Apostle Obeng, the complainant, and head pastor of CPC, when the matter was brought to court, the prosecution assisted him to put together his witness statement dated June 22, 2022.

The court admitted the Apostle Obeng’s witness statement in evidence and defence counsel did not oppose it.

Answering questions under cross-examination , Apostle Obeng denied that he gave the Police at Hong Kong, near Kwashieman in Accra, a gift (a Police signpost).

The case has been adjourned to March 19, 2024, for continuation.

Prosecution’s case is that Apostle Daniel Obeng, the head Pastor, CPC, is the complainant.

According to prosecution, in 2015, Acheampong joined the CPC and persuaded the leadership to establish the CPC Credit Union.

Prosecution said Acheampong convinced them that he was a banker and would successfully help CPC establish their credit union.

Acheampong was therefore given the mandate to set up and run the credit union, and he employed the two other accused persons, who visited church members at their homes and offices to collect contributions.

In 2018, prosecution said Kwabena Yeboah and Frank Mensah Bonsu, depositors at the Christian Pentecostal Credit Union, attempted to collect funds lodged with the credit union but were unsuccessful.

Prosecution said they raised the issue to the complainant and then reported the matter to the Police. Police investigation revealed that the accused persons collected GHC382,212 from other depositors and failed to repay them.

The prosecution said Acheampong was arrested, and the Police retrieved documents from the credit union as well as GHC3,100 in cash during a search at his residence.

Apostle Daniel Obeng, the complainant, confirmed in his statement to the Police that the accused persons oversaw the operations of the credit union.

Prosecution said some statements were also taken from depositors.

Acheampong has denied any wrongdoing and explained that the credit union ran into “liquidity difficulties.”

GNA