Cape Coast, Feb. 22, GNA - A storekeeper in Cape Coast, who allegedly stole 12.4 million cedis from his former employer was on Tuesday remanded by a circuit court in Cape Coast. Halidu Awudu pleaded not guilty to stealing and will be re-arraigned on March 1.

Inspector Hope Azasoo, told the court presided over by Mr Mustapha Logoh that Awudu, a former sales boy in a chemical shop in Cape Coast, was sacked by his employer, due to financial malpractices sometime last year.

He said last month, the owner of the shop, Ms Esther Anane detected that an amount of 12.4 million cedis, was missing from the shop's accounts at the Agricultural Development Bank. Inspector Azasoo said Ms Anane made enquiries at the bank, only to learn that Awudu, who runs his own shop, allegedly issued five cheques totalling 12.4 million cedis, on different occasions to withdraw the monies.

He said Awudu confessed to the crime, when Ms Anane confronted him and paid 500,000 cedis to defray part of the amount and a report was made to the police.

At the same court, Richmond Kenken, an 18-year-old trader from Assin Fosu who allegedly defiled a 14 year- old girl also from the town was remanded until Tuesday, March 8. He pleaded not guilty.

Detective chief inspector Alfred Cassius Gaisie, told the court that the girl, a pupil of the local Presbyterian Primary School, failed to return home, when her mother sent her on an errand at about 1800 hours on January 29.

The prosecutor said the next day, the victim's mother came across her at the main lorry station in the town and when she was questioned she allegedly told her mother that Kenken had sexually assaulted her and had forced her to spend the night with him.

Chief Inspector Gaisie told the court that the girl led her mother to the accused and later made a report to the police who issued her with a medical form to attend hospital.

He further alleged that the medical report confirmed that the girl had been defiled and the accused was arrested.