Kumasi, Aug 21, GNA- Baafour Owusu Gyimah, a cashier at the Kumasi Diocese of the Anglican Church, was on Wednesday arraigned before a Kumasi circuit court for stealing 55.6 million cedis belonging to the Church.

Gyimah, 58, pleaded not guilty and was remanded to re-appear on August 22.

Police Chief Inspector John Afful told the court, that a routine check of the accounts of the Diocese from March to July 2003 showed a shortage of four million cedis, which Gyimah failed to account for. The Very Reverend Festus Yeboah Asuamah, the Vicar-General of the Diocese, called for an audit report, which showed additional shortfall of 51.6 million cedis within the same period.

The prosecution said the accused failed to convince the church about how the shortage occurred but rather made an undertaking to refund the amount.

Chief Inspector Afful said the Church reported the matter to the police.