An Accra Circuit Court is scheduled to commence the trial on March 18, 2024, for three individuals accused of embezzling GH¢ 382,221 of depositors’ funds from a church’s credit union. The accused are Joseph Acheampong, a Consultant/Manager, Kenneth Osei-Ansong, a Recovery Officer, and Esther Ofori, a Cashier at the Christian Pentecostal Church (CPC).
The trio faces charges of conspiracy and stealing, to which they have pleaded not guilty and are currently out on bail. However, during a recent court session presided over by Mrs Kizita Koowa Quashie, Esther Ofori’s defence counsel was ordered to ensure her presence at the next hearing as she was absent during the proceedings.
Esther’s lawyer, Mr John Baptist Agbedza, informed the court of her illness and offered to provide a medical report confirming her condition. However, the prosecution led by Superintendent of Police Augustus Yirenkyi alleged that Esther had been evading court appearances under the pretext of illness.
The court granted Esther’s lawyer one final opportunity to produce her for trial, which is set to commence at the next sitting.
According to the prosecution, the complainant, Apostle Daniel Obeng, head pastor of CPC Kwashieman, entrusted Acheampong with the establishment and management of the Christian Pentecostal Credit Union in 2015. Acheampong, purportedly posing as a banker, employed Osei-Ansong and Ofori to collect contributions from church members.
In 2018, depositors Kwabena Yeboah and Frank Mensah Bonsu attempted to withdraw funds from the credit union but were unsuccessful. Subsequent police investigations revealed that the accused had collected GH¢ 382,212 from depositors but failed to reimburse them.
Acheampong was arrested, and police seized documents and GH¢ 3,100 in cash during a search of his residence. Apostle Daniel Obeng confirmed the accused’s involvement in managing the credit union.
Acheampong attributed the credit union’s financial woes to “liquidity difficulties” but denied any criminal activity. The prosecution has gathered statements from affected depositors to support their case.
The trial is expected to shed light on the alleged embezzlement scheme and ensure accountability for the misappropriated funds from the church credit union.
