Aflao (V/R), Aug 02, GNA - A Circuit Court at Aflao has sentenced a teacher to five years in prison for embezzling nine million cedis being premium he collected from clients of the Health Insurance Scheme. Felix Yaw Ayi, a teacher at Freedom International School, pleaded not guilty to stealing.

Passing sentence, the Presiding Judge, Group Captain martin Oben-Ntim (RTD) said the sentence "must serve as a deterrent to those whose interest is to derail national programme."

Mr Abraham Tetteh, Police Inspector in charge of Denu, told the court that Ayi was recruited alongside others in 2004 by the Ketu District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to mobilise premiums for the Scheme.

Ayi registered about 150 people and collected 9.6 million cedis but failed to account for the amount.

The prosecution told the Court that Ayi after had been granted bail he was found collecting premium from clients in the area without receipts and was taken back to custody.