The Mirror writes that a headmaster who allegedly pocketed a total of ?595,000 in examination registration fees for 17 JSS finalists at Gomoa Abonyi in the Central Region, has appeared before the Agona Swedru Circuit Court.

The headmaster, Joseph Kweku Yeboah, 59, was also a former assemblyman at one of the suburbs of Agona Swedru in the Central Region.

He pleaded not guilty to the 17 counts of stealing, explaining that the parents of the prospective candidates did not pay the fees of ?35,000 each on time, adding that even though he had refunded their monies which enabled them to register, he had been demoted from headmaster to an ordinary teacher. The judge, Mr. P.K. Richardson, has granted Yeboah a ?500,000 bail with one surety.

Chief Inspector Janet Dorku, told the court that somewhere in September, 2000, Yeboah collected ?35,000 from each of the 17-final year students of the Gomoa Abonyi DC Junior Secondary School under the pretext of registering them for the BECE examination in April this year.

On the date slated for the examination, Yeboah detailed one of his teachers to accompany the students to the examination center at Gomoa Asebu. However, on their arrival, they found that their names and index numbers could not be traced on the Master List.

The prosecutor said with disappointment written on their faces, the candidates returned home and informed their parents who in turn informed the management of the school about their wards' plight.

She said the management of the school had discussion with the headmaster to ascertain why he failed to register the students after collecting their registration fees. When he could not give any tangible reason, he was handed over to the police.