Gaso filing station manager, store keeper remanded after allegedly duping station over GH¢1.2m

Sylvester Koomson, a manager of the Gaso Filing Station at Wassa Gyapa, in the Wassa Amenfi East District of the Western Region, has been remanded by the Tarkwa Circuit Court for allegedly stealing and defrauding the company to the tune of over GH¢1.2 million.

Sylvester Koomson, who is a cousin of the filing station owner, Collins Opoku, is said to have been managing the station for over 3 years within which time he allegedly perpetrated the crime.

The accused person is alleged to have diverted monies belonging to the company and meant for payment to suppliers into his pocket, leaving the company in debt of over GH¢1.2 million.

Narrating the incident to the media, Collins Opoku indicated that he entrusted the management and administration of the filing station to his cousin, Koomson, out of trust and family bond.

However, he came back from busy engagements and upon tip-offs from workers of his company, he decided to conduct an audit of all financial activities with his suppliers.

He said that the audit was even more relevant as his suppliers confirmed the volumes of indebtedness by his filing Station.

Collins Opoku also stated that the audit disclosed that his brother, Joseph Teye, was stealing from him.

According to Collins Opoku, Joseph Teye, who was responsible for his general merchandise also allegedly defrauded him through over-invoicing, over-pricing, non-payments and underpayments of merchandise, costing him millions of Ghana cedis.

He added that Teye also stole cement, wood, materials, etc meant for projects and smuggled them to Takoradi, costing him millions of Ghana Cedis also.

Both Sylvester Koomson and Joseph Teye were arrested and remanded on the same count of defrauding the company in millions of cedis.

They were arraigned before the Tarkwa Circuit Court through the investigator, one ASP Oduro and prosecuted by SUP Juliana Essel Dadzie, who secured their remand, having told the Court that they needed time to conduct further investigation with the collaboration of the Economic and Organized Crime Organization (EOCO).

The Court presided over by Her Ladyship Hattia Abena Manu refused the plea of counsel to the accused, for a bail for his clients and remanded the two to police custody to reappear on January 19, 2024.

BAI/OGB

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