Mobile banker jailed nine years for stealing Gh¢61K from 31 accounts

The Asamankese Circuit Court in Eastern Region has sentenced a 27-year-old mobile banker to nine years -two months imprisonment for stealing Gh¢61,840 cash from thirty-one depositors.

The convict, 27-year-old Gideon Osei -Bonsu, of Kwaebibirim Rural Bank, Boadua branch was found guilty of all 35 charges against him.

The Prosecutor Chief Inspector Susan Ayaric told the court presided by Abass Abubakari Adams that, on September 18, 2018, Gideon Osei-Bonsu was assigned to advertise and attract more customers to subscribe to the mobile banking service.

One of his duties was to go round and collect daily cash from the customers and deposit the same in the T-24 account system of the bank but was dishonestly appropriating the deposits.

He was exposed on June 28, 2021, when a customer went to the bank and attempted to withdraw GH¢10,000 from her account but was told the amount in the account was insufficient for the withdrawal.

The angry customer complained to the management of the bank with the accused interrogated but his explanation was not convincing.

At the behest of the Board and Management at the Headquarters of the bank, a forensic audit was commissioned into the operation of the convict which was concluded on June 29, 2021.

The internal audit revealed that the convict Gideon Osei -Bonsu had embezzled an amount of GH¢61,840.00 deposited into the accounts of 31 customers of the bank.

The bank reported the staff to the police and he was arrested.

He admitted the offense during his caution statement and refunded GH¢19,760.92 but could not refund the rest hence slapped with 35 charges and put before the court.

After months of trial, he was found guilty and jailed a total of jailed nine years plus two months imprisonment.

This is the second time within two months that the Asamankese Circuit Court has jailed a mobile banker over financial fraud.

In September this year, the court convicted a mobile Banker with South Akim Rural bank Essah Gabriel Ansah,26, to five years imprisonment for stealing GH¢115,114.00 belonging to customers of the bank.

Fraudulent activities involving staff of financial institutions are prevalent in Ghana.

A recent report by the Bank of Ghana on fraudulent activities in the banking sector revealed that more than half of incidents of criminal activity in 2020 were carried out with the help of staff, with a total value of reported cases hitting GH¢1bn for the first time.

According to the Banks’ & SDIs Fraud report, 56 percent of fraud incidents reported in 2020 indicated the involvement of staff members of the reporting institutions, as compared to 51 percent of staff involvement reported the previous year.

TWI NEWS