Ghanaian Chief Jailed For Stealing GH¢2.3 Million Allocated For Community Development

• A Ghanaian Chief has been jailed for stealing money meant for the development projects in his community
• The said Chief was entrusted with the amount by a gold mining company as part of its corporate social responsibility
• Netizens who saw the post were surprised and questioned how and why so much money would be handed over to an individual

A Ghanaian Chief, Osabarima Twiampomaah III, has been sentenced to prison for embezzling funds meant for development in his area.

The Chief of Banka, a farming community in the Asante Akyem district of the Ashanti Region, will spend the next three months in jail for stealing a whopping GH¢2.3 million allocated for community development.

According to court documents, Osabarima Twiampomaah III, in 2011, received money from a Gold Mining Company, Gulf Coast Resources Company Limited, as part of its corporate social responsibility.

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This was after the community led by the Chief filed a petition against renewing their mining lease because they were not fulfilling their social corporate responsibilities to the community.

As a result, the mining company negotiated with the people of Banka, led by the Chief. At the end of the negotiations, it was agreed that the mining company would pay the community a colossal GH¢2.3 million, which they did.

Authorities at the mining firm indicated the Chief confirmed receipt of the money on behalf of his people. However, he kept telling elders and members of his community that he had not received the money.

This prompted the other leaders of Banka to report the case to the police, which led to the Chief's arrest. After years of back-and-forth on the matter, a ruling was finally passed.

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The Chief has been slapped with a three-month jail term, with an additional penalty of GH¢24,000, upon which failure to do so will lead to the Chief's sentence being expanded to five years.

See the post below:

Netizens react to Chief's arrest

Netizens who saw the post on social media were surprised and took to the comment section to express their views. Some questioned why the gold mining company would hand over such an amount to an individual on behalf of a whole community.

@webakwaba_adda wrote:

"How and why was the money paid to him directly?"

@B6ADASS

"So will a new chief be installed or till he’s a goner?"

@BehyndU

"Wicked leaders una."

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In an earlier publication, YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Police Service arrested nine persons who claimed that their manhood had disappeared, leading to fear and panic among the public and attacks on innocent citizens.

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The statement disclosed the various locations where the arrests were made and that the suspects have been arraigned before court, with some remanded into police custody and others granted bail. The news raised concerns among Ghanaians on social media, who expressed their views.

Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh