Three top officials of the Agona East District of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and a bank manager from the area have been arrested by the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) for their involvement in financial fraud.

They are Samuel Mensah, Personnel Human Resource Department, Mr Douglas Kporbatsi, Head of Human Resource Department, Mr Castro Nkum, Administrative Officer, all from the GES and Samuel Appah, the Bank Manager.

A source from the Agona East District Directorate of GES at Agona Nsaba told the press that the three officials and manager were picked up on July 2, 2013, at their various offices by a combined team of BNI officials from Accra and Agona Swedru.

The source said the fourth person, Mr Paul Gaintu, Head of Integrated Personal Payroll Data (IPPD) of the Agona East District GES Directorate, an accomplice, is currently on the run.

The source declined to mention the name of the bank for security reasons.

The source said the four officials of GES, in charge of recruitment, back-dated IPPD forms of some ghost names for supposed teachers and sent them to Controller and Accountant General Department.

The source said as a result, huge sums of monies (amount not disclosed) being their back pay, came to the bank in their names at the end of June, 2013.

The source said Mr Nkum connived with the bank manager and withdrew part of the money with the purpose of paying the alleged teachers, but shared it among the other accomplices including the bank manager.

It said Mr Nkum attempted to withdraw the rest of the money the following week, but some top officials at the bank’s headquarters, suspecting some foul deal, hinted the BNI in Accra.

According to the source, Mr. Nkum was arrested at his house at Gomoa Aboso, near Agona Swedru, and the others at their offices at Agona Nsaba.

The source said Mr Gaintu is being wanted by the BNI to face prosecution.

Mr Prosper Agbenya, Agona East District Public Relation Officer of GES confirmed the arrest of the officials.