An Accra Circuit Court has granted a GH¢100,000 bail with two sureties to a marketing officer of a cement distribution company over the theft of GH¢176,693.50 belonging to his former employer.

One of the sureties of Emmanuel Osei, 34, the Court ordered, should be a public servant earning not less than GH¢2,500.

He has denied appropriating the amount and was ordered by the Court to make his next appearance on January 8, 2025, for Cross-examination.

Police Chief Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo told the Court presided over by Mrs Susanna Eduful that Mr Eugene Twumasi, the complainant, was the general manager of Clemonic Company Limited, a cement distribution company based in Accra and Kumasi.

He said Osei, the accused person, was a former employee of the said cement distribution company in Accra and the crime occurred a year and a half into being employed as one of the marketing officers of the company.

As a marketing officer, the Court heard that Osei’s task was to look for customers for the company and inform the complainant of customers’ requests.

The prosecution said that based on the requests, cement trucks were sent to the accused for distribution to the customers.

As part of his duties, Osei collected money from customers on behalf of the company and lodged same in the company’s bank accounts.

Chief Inspector Teye-Okuffo said in January 2022, the complainant noticed that almost all the customers brought by the accused were owing the company about GH¢176,693.50.

He said the accused’s inability to bring the money forced the complainant to visit the customers together with him, where all the customers visited denied owing the company.

Chief Inspector Teye-Okuffo said Mr Twumasi, the complainant, realised that the accused had collected GH¢176,693.50 from the customers but failed to deposit the same into the company’s accounts but kept telling him that customers were in debt.

 This, he said, led to the arrest of Osei and during the investigation, he admitted having dishonestly appropriated the said money.

During the investigation, a total of GH¢50,000 was retrieved from the accused and handed over to the complainant, the Court was told.

The accused was charged with the offence and brought before the Court.