Court fines businessman for unlicensed insurance firm operation

The Agona Swedru Circuit has sentenced Emmanuel Kwame Agyei, a businessman, to a fine of GH¢30,000 for operating an unlicensed insurance company and issuing fake motor insurance stickers to the public.

He was convicted on charges of operating unlicensed insurance business, forgery and defrauding by false presence, but he pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

However, the court presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owoare, found him guilty on all the counts, after the prosecution, led by Sergeant Chare Nasir Salia, had proved its case beyond all reasonable doubts.

He pleaded with the court to give him up to September 30, 2018 to mobilise funds to pay off the fine, which the court agreed to.

Convict’s plea

After reading his judgement, which lasted for about 15 minutes, the presiding judge asked the convict if he had anything to say before passing the sentence. The convict said: “My Lord, please I am at your mercy. Kindly temper justice with mercy.

He told the fully packed court that he was a responsible man with a family to take care of and that he was also taking care of a wife, who was nursing a newborn baby, and, therefore, pleaded with the court to grant him mercy. 

Facts

According to the facts of the case, the first and second complainants are David Afari and Hannah Essilfie Frimpong who are Customer Relationship Manager and Head of Special Investigation Unit of the National Insurance Commission (NIC), Accra, respectively.

The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh complainants are James Kwaku Foli, John Ologo, Justice Baidoo, Bright Sackey and Maxwell Akyeampong, all residents of Agona Swedru.

The convict, Emmanuel Kwame Agyei, is the Director of Swaytel Company Ltd, Agona Swedru. According to the facts, the NIC received information that Swaytel Company Ltd was operating as an insurance company without a licence in Agona Swedru and its environs.

The situation aroused the suspicion of the NIC, and the first and second complainants made further enquiries which revealed that the convict was issuing fake NIC motor insurance stickers to the public.

The first and second complainants reported the incident to the police and the convict was subsequently arrested in his office.

A search conducted in his office led to the retrieval of documents such as policy rates and insurance certificates.

During investigations, Sergeant Chare Nasir Salia stated that Agyei used his computer to forge the motor insurance stickers which he sold them to his clients.

However, the convict could not lead the police to retrieve the computer.

According to Sgt Salia, on May 29, 2018, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh complainants reported to the police with NIC motor insurance stickers, claiming that the convict issued the said stickers to them as genuine motor insurance stickers and collected GH¢360.00 each from all of them totalling GH¢1,825.00.

Subsequently, he was charged with the offences and put before court.