BNI probes Foreign Affairs Ministry over GHC292,643 fraud

An Accounting Officer with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Thomas A. Amoak, is currently in the grips of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) assisting the security agency to inquire into the misappropriation of GHC292,643 belonging to the State.

Mr. Amoak who was attached to Ghana’s Mission in Lusaka, Zambia, according to a 2014 Auditor-General’s Report failed to account for various monies belonging to the Mission on different occasions.

From September 2013 to August 2014, the Mission was reported to have generated US$160,640 and €29,332 respectively. The amount put together is equivalent to GHC292,623 (using a Forex rate of €1.00 to GHC4.28 and US$1.00 to GHC3.83).

However, Mr. Amoak without any authorization made some cash withdrawals of US$49,700.00 and €23,900.00 from the Special Collection Account.

He has since failed to account for those monies with the report attributing his act to poor internal controls and weak management oversight.

Mr. Amoak, Kasapafmonline.com learnt, was picked up by the BNI after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially lodged a complaint to their offices.

He was reported to have admitted his offense having informed the security agency that he colluded with some bank officials to obtain forged bank statements to support the account balances.

The Accounting Officer, the report added, has been told by the BNI to refund the monies.