GRA Accounts Officer In Trouble Over GH¢310,000 Embezzlement Case

An accounts officer at the Domestic Tax Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in Tamale has been arraigned for allegedly stealing GH¢310,909.96 belonging to the state.

The accused, Fuseini Hamza, who appeared before the Tamale High Court last Wednesday, was remanded in prison custody to reappear on November 8, 2017.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Edward Apenkwah, charged Hamza with two counts of stealing and money laundering.

He pleaded not guilty to both charges and would reappear before the court on November 8, 2017.

Facts

The facts of the case, as presented in court by a Principal State Attorney, Mr Salia Abdul Quddus, were that Hamza, as part of his duties, was responsible for lodging money collected by the office into the various accounts of the GRA.

In June, 2017, the Northern Regional Accountant of the GRA discovered during a validation exercise that there was a shortfall of GH¢310, 909.96 in the accounts of the GRA.

When he was questioned by the accountant, Hamza said he had duly lodged all the money into the accounts of the GRA.

The accountant followed up to the GCB Bank Limited to verify whether or not the accused had lodged the money with the bank.

After the checks, he (the accountant) was told that the amount of GH¢310, 909.96 had not been lodged into the accounts.

Upon further interrogation, the prosecutor said, the accused admitted that he had not paid the money into the accounts of GRA, but rather, he used it to acquire personal property, including two plots of land, a house and a 4 X 4 vehicle.

The matter was reported to the police and Hamza was subsequently arrested.

After the investigation had been completed, the accused was charged with two counts of stealing and money laundering and put before the court.

Source: Graphic