Banker arraigned for allegedly stealing over GHC177,000 and $134,800 from Coptic Orthodox Church accounts

Banker arraigned for allegedly stealing over GHC177,000 and $134,800 from Coptic Orthodox Church accounts

A banker has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly carrying out unauthorised transactions on the accounts of the Coptic Orthodox Church, resulting in the loss of thousands of cedis and dollars.

Kwabena Opoku-Acheampong, a relationship officer of a bank (name withheld), is accused of dishonestly appropriating GHC177,000 from the church‘s cedi account and $134,800 from its dollar account.

He pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to steal, stealing, forgery of documents, and altering forged documents. His alleged accomplice, Prince Okyere Amoako, was absent in court, prompting the prosecution to request a bench warrant for his arrest.

The court, presided over by a Circuit Judge, granted Opoku-Acheampong bail of GHC900,000 with two sureties, one to be justified and another a government employee earning not less than GHC2,000 monthly. He was further ordered to report to the case investigator every Thursday.

The prosecution did not oppose the bail application but urged the court to impose strict conditions to ensure the accused’s attendance in future sittings. The court also directed the prosecution to file witness statements ahead of the Case Management Conference, adjourning the matter to November 2, 2025.

According to the prosecution, the complainant is an auditor at the bank, while Opoku-Acheampong’s duties involved sourcing new clients, opening and managing accounts. His co-accused, Amoako, operated both cedi and dollar accounts with the same bank.

In November 2024, the Coptic Orthodox Church reported unauthorised withdrawals from its accounts. An internal probe found that between August and October 2024, Opoku-Acheampong had made unauthorised transfers amounting to GHC177,000 and $134,800.

Further investigations revealed that the accused falsified account and transfer forms, which he submitted to the bank to facilitate the movement of funds from the church’s accounts to Amoako’s business accounts. Amoako allegedly withdrew the funds, and the two used the proceeds for personal gain.

Following the discovery, the matter was reported to the police, and subsequent investigations confirmed that Opoku-Acheampong, who had authorised access to the church’s accounts, diverted the funds without approval from either the church or the bank.

The accused has since refunded GHC177,000 and $48,000 of the misappropriated sums.

A banker has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly carrying out unauthorised transactions on the accounts of the Coptic Orthodox Church, resulting in the loss of thousands of cedis and dollars.

Kwabena Opoku-Acheampong, a relationship officer of a bank (name withheld), is accused of dishonestly appropriating GHC177,000 from the church’s cedi account and $134,800 from its dollar account.

He pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to steal, stealing, forgery of documents, and altering forged documents. His alleged accomplice, Prince Okyere Amoako, was absent in court, prompting the prosecution to request a bench warrant for his arrest.

The court, presided over by a Circuit Judge, granted Opoku-Acheampong bail of GHC900,000 with two sureties, one to be justified and another a government employee earning not less than GHC2,000 monthly. He was further ordered to report to the case investigator every Thursday.

The prosecution did not oppose the bail application but urged the court to impose strict conditions to ensure the accused’s attendance in future sittings. The court also directed the prosecution to file witness statements ahead of the Case Management Conference, adjourning the matter to November 2, 2025.

According to the prosecution, the complainant is an auditor at the bank, while Opoku-Acheampong’s duties involved sourcing new clients, opening and managing accounts. His co-accused, Amoako, operated both cedi and dollar accounts with the same bank.

In November 2024, the Coptic Orthodox Church reported unauthorised withdrawals from its accounts. An internal probe found that between August and October 2024, Opoku-Acheampong had made unauthorised transfers amounting to GHC177,000 and $134,800.

Further investigations revealed that the accused falsified account and transfer forms, which he submitted to the bank to facilitate the movement of funds from the church’s accounts to Amoako’s business accounts. Amoako allegedly withdrew the funds, and the two used the proceeds for personal gain.

Following the discovery, the matter was reported to the police, and subsequent investigations confirmed that Opoku-Acheampong, who had authorised access to the church’s accounts, diverted the funds without approval from either the church or the bank.

The accused has since refunded GHC177,000 and $48,000 of the misappropriated sums.