Bank Staff in trouble over minister’s account

Bank authorities at the High Street branch of Barclays Bank are investigating staff members as to who could have released details of the private account held by local government minister, Charles Bintim, reports the Insight newspaper

The minister has over a period of seven months stashed close to ¢2 billion into an account at the bank.

The first deposit of ¢1billion was made in July 2005 and the last of ¢450million was made in March 21, 2006.

Sources at the bank say management is working on the assumption that a member of staff may have released the details to the Insight newspaper.

Managing editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has categorically denied that the newspaper obtained the details from an employee of the bank.

The bank's prime worry is that it may be accused of breach of confidentiality by its customers and could lead to loss of substantial business.

Workers of the bank have so far denied knowledge of the leakage.

The investigation into the leakage of the details of the account will be extremely difficult because of the networking of the bank's computers.

According to the Insight newspaper, virtually everybody with access to the bank's computer's can accesses that information.

People close to the minister could also easily access the information.

The paper says the sources of the money deposited in the account have not been conclusively established.

Minister Charles Bintim has said very little about the source of the monies but he is reported to have told a confidant that the money does not belong to him.