EC accountant returns Gh₵436,402 'missing' endowment funds

The Chief Accountant of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Kwaku Owusu Agyei-Larbi, has returned the "missing" endowment funds, which were said to have been given to him for safekeeping.

He returned a total of Gh₵436,402, which he said was given to him for safekeeping and was awaiting instructions for disbursement.

He explained the money was in a safe in his office when he was asked to proceed on leave in July 2017 for investigations into the use of EC staff endowment funds by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO).

On page 34 of the Chief Justice’s Committee reported that recommended the removal of the EC Chair and her two deputies, it was also submitted that Mr. Agyei–Larbi, be made to pay to the Commission the amount of GH¢360,000 he admitted had been in his custody in his office since 2016.

"If he is not able to pay the said amount to the EC, we recommend that he is charged with stealing,” the CJ's committee recommended.

Read also: EC Chief Accountant to make "missing" cash available if...

In a petition dated July, 3 2018 to the presidency Mr. Agyei-Larbi stated his readiness to swiftly comply with the report of the Chief Justice’s Committee dependent on his immediate reinstatement after the EOCO investigations.

Subsequent to the petition, EOCO wrote to the Electoral Commission on July, 9 2018 directing the Commission to recall Mr. Agyei-Larbi and he has since refunded the money in his custody after fully resuming work on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.

In a letter dated Thursday July 12, 2018 to the Presidency Jerry John K. Asiedu, lawyer for Mr. Agyei-Larbi said “Subsequent to the above developments our client has retrieved from the safe in his office an amount of GH¢436,402 with the approval of the Human Resource Director of the Electoral Commission to pay same into the EC IGF account at GCB bank. Attached hereto and marked “C” is a copy of memo endorsed by the Human Resource Director.

“He has paid the amount of GH¢436, 402 into the designated IGF account of the Electoral Commission at the GCB Bank on the 11th day of July, 2018. Attached hereto and marked “D” is a copy of the GCB Bank Receipt as evidence of the payment into the account by our client.

“Under the circumstances, it is evident that our client has fully complied with the recommendations of the report of the Chief Justice’s Committee which was referred to your high office for implementation. Our client therefore humbly requests that this is brought to the attention of the Attorney General and all other necessary agencies tasked with the implementation of the Committee’s report.”