IR Samuel and Sons Limited does not exist - Witness

An Inspector of Companies at the Registrar General's Department, Godfried Tetteh Lomotey, has told an Accra Fast Track High Court that the company I R Samuel and Sons Limited which was used by Nicholas Sakyi, and Joseph Kofi Yeboah, both employees of the Controller and Accountant-Generals' Department attached to the Department of Urban Roads in Kumasi to steal monies does not exist.

Mr Lomotey disclosed this during his evidence in chief in court yesterday. According to him, there is no record of I R Samuel and Sons Limited at the Registrar General's Department which means that it has not been registered.

He further pointed out that I R and Sons, I R Service Limited and Snicks Ventures are all not in their records. He however noted that there is one company Snicks Ventures Limited, which is registered.

He said the shareholders and Directors of this company are Nicholas Sakyi, who holds GH¢300 shares, Lydia Ohenewaah, and Ebenezer Baah, both holds GH¢100 shares each. He said the Secretary of the company is Agnes Adobeah.

Mr Lomotey said the issue shares of the company was GH¢500 and an authorizing shares of GH¢10,000. He said the objectives of the company as indicted in their file are building and road construction, road engineering, sanitation and waste management. He said the company was incorporated in August 16, 1998 and started operations the next day.

The house number of the company was given as H/no MM 38 OTF Infesten by Pass, New Tafo. The address is Box R 384, Kumasi.

During cross examination by Atta Akyea, one of the Defence Council, Mr Lomotey said he has worked at the Registrar General's Department for over 30 years and has risen through the ranks.

He said he came to testify in the case because their office was subpoena by the court. He explained that although the subpoena was served on the Director General, he as the head of his department represents the D-G. He said he just received the subpoena on Monday.

Nicholas Sakyi, a deputy accountant and Joseph Kofi Yeboah, a senior accounts officer, both employees of the Controller and Accountant-Generals' Department attached to the Department of Urban Roads in Kumasi are being charged for stealing.

The two allegedly started stealing the money in 2000 and by 2005, when the anomaly was detected, a whopping ¢4.5 billion was found to have been siphoned.

They have pleaded not guilty to six counts of stealing and were jointly granted ¢2 billion bail with two sureties to be justified.

The facts as presented by the prosecution are that in 2000, the two men allegedly devised a scheme by which they embezzled money by altering cheques issued in favour of the Internal Revenue Service as withholding taxes and operated until 2005 when the anomaly was detected.

The two allegedly opened a special private account at a rural bank in Kumasi in which they cashed and deposited the money. The breakdown of the amount were as follows; 2000, ¢71 million; 2001, ¢69 million; 2002, ¢256 million; 2003, ¢878 million; 2004, ¢2.2 billion and 2005, ¢849 million.

The prosecution further said in line with the grand design the two altered IRS cheques to read I.R. Samuel and Sons Limited, and J.E. Service Limited.