Crime & Punishment of Monday, 25 July 2005

Source: GNA

Obrachire assemblyman embezzle 14.4 million cedis

Awutu-Obrachire (C/R), July 25, GNA - The people of Awutu-Obrachire in the Central Region, have passed a vote of no confidence in their Assemblyman, Mr Isaac Kwame Abbey, for embezzling 14,490,000.00 Cedis belonging to the community.

In a statement copied to the District Chief Executive for Awutu-Effutu-Senya, Mr Solomon Kwarshie Abbam-Quaye, the Presiding Member, District Electoral Officer and the Agona Swedru Divisional Commander of the police Service, they also appealed to the District Assembly to probe the activities of Mr Abbey.

In a statement they said that the amount money was part of an amount of 43,000,000.00 million cedis given to the Obrachire people by the former MP for Awutu/Senya, Mrs. Hanna Tetteh-Kpodar, for the construction of a market.

The statement said although it was initially agreed that a committee should implement the project Mr Abbey allegedly refused to inform the chiefs and opinion leaders of the Town after he had succeeded in cashing a cheque for the Forty-Three Million Cedis from a financial institution in Cape Coast.

The statement said about a couple of weeks ago, the chiefs and opinion leaders including members of the Obrachire Unit Committee met Mr Abbey and requested him to render accounts of his stewardship. After a heated debate Mr Abbey admitted having embezzled Fourteen Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Thousand Cedis out of the total amount and promised to refund the money within two weeks. In a promissory note signed by Mr Abbey on July 16th this year, he confirmed embezzling the amount.

The community also accused Mr Abbey of allegedly dismantling a corn-milling machine donated to the Town by UNICEF some years ago and sold the parts and pocketing the proceeds. A letter, which authorized the District Assembly to release the money, which was part of the former MP's share of the common fund, Mrs Tetteh-Kpodar stated that her action followed an appeal by the chiefs and people of Obrachire community for support to construct the market.

The people expressed the hope that further investigations into the case would unearth more serious financial malpractices by the assemblyman.

The statement was signed by Nai Obeng Abosompim IV, Regent of Nai Kwame Agyiri and the Nifahene of the Traditional Area, Nai Kobina Tetteh, Guantuahene, Nai B B Nortey, Mr George Ayiku Tetteh and Mr Macktub Dawood Hamidu, Head of Muslim Community. Other people who signed the statement were Mr Maxwell Arhin, Unit Committee Chairman, Mr Razaki Azumah, Opinion Leader, and Madam Susuana Anakwa, Unit Committee Member.