A 21-year-old unemployed man appeared before an Accra Circuit Court after withdrawing and spending GH¢17,812 cedis that had been mistakenly credited to his bank account.
Felix Kwame Akakpo refused to give the money back to the bank on the grounds that it was “a gift from God.”
He pleaded guilty and was charged with stealing.
The accused pleaded with the judge to have mercy on him, saying that his family was prepared to help him return the money to the bank.
The accused admitted that what he did was wrong, adding that all those he used the money to assist had turned their back on him.
A lawyer who acted as a friend of the court prayed the Court to hand down a non-custodial sentence as he was a first-time offender, and he had readily admitted his guilt and was ready to refund the money.
The prosecution led by Police Inspector Clemence Takyi informed the court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah that the accused was a first offender.
The Court in sentencing Akakpo said it considered the accused’s admission of the offence, the fact that the accused was also ready to refund the money and was a first-time offender.
It, therefore, convicted the accused person on his own plea and sentenced him to pay a fine of GHS 1,800 in default to serve a 20-day jail term.
The court further ordered the convict to refund the money to the complainant.
The case of the prosecution was that the complainant, name withheld, is a banker and she works with UBA Bank Ghana Limited.
The prosecution said Akakpo resided at Spintex in Accra. On April 26, this year, the prosecution said the complainant while on duty at the bank, mistakenly transferred an amount of GHS17,812 to Fidelity Bank account number 2100406642414, belonging to the convict.
Inspector Takyi said a few days after, the complainant detected the error and tried to reverse the transfer but was informed that Akakpo had withdrawn the money.
According to the prosecution, when Akakpo was contacted on phone to return the money, he declined with the explanation that “it is a gift from God.”
Prosecution said a report was made to the Police which led to Akakpo’s arrest.
During investigations, the prosecution said Akakpo admitted the offence, but he could not account for the money.
