Banker Steals �35,000 From Dead Man�s Barclays Account

A former employee of Barclays Bank Ghana Limited was yesterday made to sign a bond of good behaviour by an Accra Circuit Court, after being found guilty of stealing the sum of GH�35,500 from a deceased customer�s account. The convict, Eugene Asiedu Akrofi, who had an acquaintance with the deceased before his death, started stealing the money in amounts of between GH�1,000 and GH�2,000 when he became aware of his death. The crime of Eugene Asiedu Akrofi was detected when the Commercial Crime Management Unit of the bank conducted an audit in his department. He pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing, contrary to section 124 (1) of act 24/60, as amended by the National Liberation Council Decree (NLCD) paragraph four. The court, presided over by Mr. John Bosco Nabarase, in its judgment, mentioned that the convict had shown remorse in his attitude, so, therefore, would deal with leniently him. He was, therefore, made to sign a bond of good behaviour, or in default, serve a prison sentence of 36 months in hard labour. The facts of the case are that the convict, Eugene Asiedu Akrofi, is a former employee of the bank�s branch at Abeka Lapaz in Accra, where Amadu Tijani, the deceased, had his account. According to the Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Tassan, between April and May 2012, the convict took undue advantage of the customer�s death and made several withdrawals totaling GH�35,500 from the deceased�s account. He said audit conducted by the Crime Management Unit of the bank detected the abnormally which resulted in the unit lodging a complaint with the police. The Prosecutor told the court that on December 2012, the convict, upon his arrest, admitted the offence, and pleaded with the police to allow him refund the money. �Between December 2012 and January 2013, the convict paid the sum of GH�35,500 by installment to the bank, and after investigations, he was charged with the offence,� the prosecutor stated.