Ashaiman court refuses bail application filed by two suspects

The Ashaiman circuit court has refused a bail application for two criminals due to the amount involved. The application was filed by the counsel praying the court to grant the client bail but the prosecution says the amount alleged to have been stolen by two suspects is huge. According to the Presiding Judge, His Honour Simon Gaga, just as the prosecution in the case, ASP Ernest Kwofie oppose the bail application due to the fact of the case, the accused persons were denied bail. Frank Appiah Ofori(A1) and Eric Arthur(A2) were both charged with two counts of Stealing, contrary to section 124(1) of the criminal offenses Act 1960(Act 29). Prosecution:ASP Ernest Kwofie presenting a D/C/Inspector Samuel Klutse investigated case told the court that the complainant, Marc Theophilus Nuwortor, was the Internal Auditor of First Sky Commodities Limited headquarters in Tema Community 25 and resides at Adenta. A1, Frank Appiah Ofori, a cocoa merchant of the same company and resides at Obuasi Kyerekwere while A2, a cocoa purchasing Clerk for the company and resides at Asankrugwa in the Western Region. He told the court that between 4/10/2021 and 11/03/2022, the complainant's company transferred a cash sum of GHS26, 053,500.00 from the company's Cal Bank Account at the Tema 25 branch to A1's Ghana Commercial Bank Account, at the Obuasi branch to purchase 39,475 bags of dry cocoa beans for the company. A1 over the period supplied 34,932 bags of cocoa beans worth GHS23,055,120.00 out of the 39,475 bags of cocoa beans for the company and gave the number of cocoa beans GHS 1,039,500.00 representing 1,575 bags of cocoa beans to A2 to purchase cocoa beans for the company. A2 only purchased 1,410 bags of cocoa and dishonestly appropriated GHS94,380.00 equivalent to 166 bags of cocoa. A2 purchased only 1,410 bags of cocoa beans and dishonestly appropriated GHS1,538,460.00 equivalent to 2,331 bags of cocoa beans. The complainant lodged a formal complaint with the police leading to the arrest of A1 and his statement to the police, he claimed to have the stolen amount to the sub-agents, Christian Asare, Bright Ofori Asiamah, Isaac Afful Taah, Patrick Atta, Michal Bonyeh, Cassius Nii Aryee Hayford, Prince Asare JNR, Iddrisu Aguri Kasiru, Samuel Osei and Abubakar Siddiq to supply 2,331 bags of cocoa beans to the company. Upon his arrest, Prosecution said A2 admitted his offense and refunded an amount of GHS12,000.00 to the police. A1, after he was granted Police inquiry bail, failed to report to the police to assist in investigations and he was accordingly informed to appear before the honourable court. The case is under investigation to arrest the other accused persons.