Secretary At Energy Ministry Arrested After Hacking ADB Bank ATMs And Stealing GHc 287,775

Secretary At Energy Ministry Arrested After Hacking ADB Bank ATMs and Stealing Ghc 287,775
Regina Abanga, a Ghanaian civil servant employed as a secretary at the Energy Ministry, has been apprehended for her involvement in embezzling a sum exceeding Ghc 287,775 from the ADB Bank.

According to reports, Abanga illicitly gained access to various ATMs within the bank’s network, successfully withdrawing substantial amounts of money.

Upon the discovery of her fraudulent activities, legal proceedings were initiated, resulting in her arrest and subsequent appearance in court. During the court proceedings, Abanga was granted bail in the amount of GH¢250,000, contingent upon the submission of three sureties.

The prosecution presented evidence indicating that Regina, a mother of one, manipulated multiple ADB ATM machines scattered across the Accra metropolis, enabling her to withdraw a total of GH¢287,775.47 from the bank between the months of November 2022 and June 2023.

The prosecution’s case revealed that on June 15, 2023, an anomalous withdrawal by Regina came to light when Solomon Inkoom, a representative of ADB’s Labone branch, reported the irregular transaction. In response, bank officials took action by suspending Regina’s ATM card to prevent any further unauthorized withdrawals.

The subsequent day, June 16, 2023, at 1700 hours, the accused, Regina, attempted to access funds from an ADB ATM at the Ridge branch in Accra. However, her card was retained by the machine, prompting her to approach the bank’s management for assistance. In a swift turn of events, she was apprehended by the bank’s Risk Team and subsequently handed over to the Ministries Police.

During the course of her interrogation, Regina openly confessed to her involvement in the criminal activity. She further disclosed that the misappropriated funds were utilized for the purchase of a Toyota Vitz with license plate number GE-3545-21 and for financing the construction of a three-story building.