Unit Committee Chairman arrested for swindling 36 people

The Former Unit Committee Chairman of Nyanfeku- Ekroful in the Abura- Asebu- Kwamankese District of the Central Region, was on Tuesday arraigned before a Cape Coast Circuit Court for allegedly defrauding 36 residents of the area to the tune of GH¢ 8,640. 00

The accused, Kwabena Issah, a Farmer, collected GH¢ 240.00 each from the victims for onward payment to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) office in Cape Coast for the installation of meters, but has since 2013, failed to do so.

He pleaded not guilty to fraudulent breach of trust and was granted GH¢ 11,000 bail with two sureties to reappear on Wednesday September 30.

Police Chief Inspector Charles Hevi, who prosecuted, told the court presided over by Ms. Sedina Agbemava that in 2013, during an electricity extension project in the area, the ECG demanded names of people interested in acquiring new meters.

He said Issah was selected by the chief of the area to collect the required amount of Gh¢ 240.00 each from interested persons leading to the collection of a total of GH¢ 8,640 from the 36 persons but he failed to pay the money to the ECG.

According to Chief Inspector Hevi, after several demands from the Chief and people of the town for Issah to pay the money to the ECG failed, the case was reported to the police leading to his arrest.

He said Issah, upon interrogation, admitted collecting the money but said he had deposited it into his account from which he withdrew GH¢ 9, 600 on Thursday, July 9, this year, with the intention of paying it to the ECG the next day but that thieves broke into his room that night and stole the money.

According to the prosecution, enquiries made at Abura Dunkwa branch of the Akoti Rural Bank where Issah claimed to have withdrawn the money, revealed that there was no such transaction on or before the said date.