A former Assistant Manager at Chicken Inn and Pizza Inn in Accra Mall, s Acquah, has been sentenced to five years in prison with hard labor for embezzling GHC19,904 from his employers.
The judgment was delivered by Judge Akosua Anokyewaa Adjapong at the Achimota Circuit Court, as reported by Dailyguidenetwork.com.
According to the prosecution, Acquah unlawfully accessed the vault room where funds from December 25 and 26, 2023, were stored during the Christmas holidays.
On December 27, 2023, at approximately 4:23 am, Acquah allegedly stole GHC19,904. This theft was captured on CCTV footage, confirming his involvement upon review.
After the incident, Acquah fled to Cape Coast to evade arrest. Unable to locate him, Chicken Inn and Pizza Inn management reported the case to the Airport Police Station, leading to his eventual arrest.
During the initial court hearing on June 10, 2024, Acquah, without legal representation, pleaded not guilty to theft under Sections 123(1) and 124(1) of the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (Act 29).
A family member disclosed in court that Acquah had spent a significant portion of his salary on gambling and succumbed to temptation when the opportunity to steal arose.
However, during a subsequent court appearance on June 20, 2024, Acquah changed his plea to guilty after spending seven days in police custody. When asked about the whereabouts of the stolen money, he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
Considering Acquah’s age, status as a first-time offender, and his admission of guilt, Judge Akosua Anokyewaa Adjapong sentenced him to five years in prison with hard labor.
Additionally, Acquah was fined 100 penalty units, totaling GH¢1,200, to be paid to his former employer, and ordered to reimburse the full amount of GHC19,904 stolen. Failure to pay the fine would result in an additional two years of imprisonment.