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A female cashier with Sunda Ghana Company Limited, which deals in building materials, has been arraigned before an Accra circuit court for allegedly embezzling an amount of GH200,000 belonging to the company.

The crime of the accused, Elsie Abbey, whose duty was to deposit the daily sales of goods into the company’s bank account, was detected days after she failed to report for duty without informing her immediate boss.

She pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing before the court, presided over by Mrs. Ellen Vivian Amoah.

She was admitted to bail in the sum of GH300,000 with three sureties, one to be justified and expected to make his next appearance before the court on September 3, 2015.

She was responsible for managing petty cash, company bank account and expenses, as well as doing other duties at the company.

Elsie, 26, is alleged to have bought two cars, spending GH10, 000 on a Nissan Amaxi, GH15,000.00 on Kia Rio, GH6,500 on a plot of land at Heaven’s Gate Estate and GH1,000 on household items.

Prosecutor Chief Inspector Charles Chester said: “It was a crime that lasted just under years. The money was used to fund a life of luxury, with money spent on vehicles, household, items and luxury shopping spree.”

Narrating the facts of the case before the court, the prosecutor stated that, Elsie is a cashier in charge of HouseMart Showroom, a subsidiary of the company at Spintex.

According to the prosecutor, on June 4, 2014, the complainant, who is the company’s Accounts Manager, had information that Elsie had absented from duty, while money from sale of goods was also not deposited in the company’s bank account.

Following that, the complainant tried to reach Elsie on her mobile phone to find why she did not report duty, but proved futile as the phone was either switched off or out of coverage area.
Chief Inspector Chester explained that, luckily on June 14, the complainant traced Elsie to her house and brought her to the office so she could render accounts on goods sold out, but when she opened her safe, there was no money in it.

Elsie, the prosecutor said, could not give reasonable explanation when she was asked of the money from the sale of the company’s goods.

As a result, a report was made to the police and Elsie was arrested, and during police interrogation she admitted taking GH 80.000 from the sales.

She further told police she used the stolen proceeds to purchase some vehicles, including a Nissan Saloon car at GH10,000, a Kia Rio saloon at GH15,000, a plot of land at Heaven Gate Estate at GH6,500.00 and household furniture.

The prosecutor said to ascertain the amount of money stolen, the company hired the services of an external auditor to audit the accounts and after the audit, it was discovered that, a total of GH191, 488.87 could not be accounted for.

Chief Inspector Chester told the court, in the process, the police were able to retrieve the saloon cars, some household items believed to have been bought from the stolen money and a cash of GH10, 900.00 from Elsie.

After investigation, the prosecutor said, Elsie was charged with the offence.

She was immediately sacked by the company after investigation confirmed traces of the theft.