Attorney-General wants Ato Essien in jail for non-payment of money to the state

The Attorney-General has filed a motion praying an Accra High Court to impose a custodial sentence on convicted William Ato Essien, Chief Executive Officer of defunct Capital Bank for failing to pay GH¢20 million to the state.

Essien was last year December ordered by an Accra High Court presided over Justice Eric Kyei Baffour to pay GH¢20 million to the state by April 28, 2023.

Essien narrowly escaped a custodial sentence after his lawyers had agreed with the Office of the Attorney General to pay GH¢60 million in three installments.

He had earlier on paid GH¢30 million out of GH¢90million while the trial was ongoing.

The Office of the Attorney-General, after four days clear after the timelines offered to Essien in respect of payment, and not seen any evidence of payment, went gone to court.

The AG had written to the Controller and Accountant General to find out if Essien had made any payment following the court order.

Response from the Controller and Accountant General showed that Essien had not made any payment.

The court has therefore fixed May 11, 2023, for the Attorney General to move the motion.