Samuel Asante Arthur, a lotto agent accused of falsifying accounts to allegedly siphon GH₵143,154 belonging to Alpha Lotto Company, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Also in the dock was Abigail Serwa Appiah, a lotto writer.

Arthur, 51, and Abigail, 32, have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and falsification of account.

The court presided over by Mrs Susana Eduful did not take their pleas and admitted them to bail.

Arthur was admitted to bail in the sum of GH₵120,000 with four sureties, who are to be family members.

Abigail was admitted to bail in the sum of GH₵80,000 with three sureties, who are to be family members.

The case has been adjourned to December 22, 2022.

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The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Samuel Ahiabor, said the complainant, Joseph Gyapong, was a lotto agent of Alpha Lotto Company Limited and was responsible for receiving lotto booklets / tickets from other writers before winning numbers were announced.

It said Abigail resided at La in Accra and was employed by Arthur for the same company without the knowledge of the complainant.

The prosecution said in April 2022, Arthur allegedly hatched a plan with Abigail to write a fraudulent winning ticket for him anytime winning numbers were announced after close of the lotto business so he could present them to the complainant as winning numbers.

On April 20 this year, Abigail allegedly wrote a winning ticket of GH₵2.50 which amounted to winning GH₵600.00 and Arthur presented same to the complainant for payment.

The prosecution said the two accused persons on several occasions prepared and submitted fraudulent winning tickets to the tune of GH₵20,000 and the same was paid to Arthur who shared the booty with Abigail.

The prosecution said between April 2021 and March 2022, Arthur took advantage of his office and falsified the pay list (weekly statement form) of credible winners of Alpha Lotto and succeeded in paying himself an amount of GH₵143,154.00.

The prosecution said during the annual accounting financial period, the company detected the theft of GH₵143,154.00 and when Arthur was interrogated, he admitted siphoning the amount by falsifying the account of the company and refunded GH₵15,000 to the complainant.

Arthur allegedly pleaded to be given time to pay the rest of the money.

The prosecution said Arthur went into hiding so the complainant reported the matter to the Police, which led to the two accused persons being arrested at La.