From sales desk to mansions: Ho couple accused in GH¢5m fraud case
A 26-year-old salesperson, Nerissah Akordor, and a 28-year-old barber, Courage Addo, have appeared before a Ho High Court over alleged theft, dishonestly receiving stolen money, and money laundering.
The two accused persons, who are currently in prison custody, pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before the court presided over by Justice Rose-Marie A. Asante. They are expected to reappear on April 27, 2026.
Prosecuting, Assistant State Attorney Anthony Ghattie told the court that between January and December 2025, Akordor allegedly stole GH¢5.189 million from the proceeds of sales of commodities belonging to Amenuveve Sorgbor Company Limited, operators of a Guinness depot in Ho.
Addo is accused of dishonestly receiving the stolen funds, knowing they were proceeds of crime, with the prosecution alleging that the couple used the money to acquire properties, including buildings and vehicles.
The court heard that on January 10, 2026, Madam Theresa Ama Agbovi, Chief Executive Officer of the company, reported the matter to the police. She indicated that Akordor had worked as a salesgirl for four years and was promoted in January 2025 to manage Sales Point Two.
Her responsibilities included collecting and recording cash and mobile money transactions, supervising beverage sales, and accounting for purchased goods, with a monthly salary of GH¢1,500.
According to the prosecution, the company had been experiencing persistent financial losses despite efforts to sustain the business, including securing loans from financial institutions.
Mr Ghattie said the complainant later received a tip-off in December 2025 that Akordor had acquired substantial property with Addo, her boyfriend, raising suspicion that the assets were funded with misappropriated company funds.
Investigations, he said, confirmed that Akordor had acquired a building and was putting up another. When confronted, she was reassigned but expressed dissatisfaction and subsequently resigned from her position.
The prosecution further told the court that police investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons and the retrieval of one Mercedes-Benz C250 and one Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic. Investigators also identified a two-unit chamber and hall self-contained apartment and a one-storey apartment, about 90 per cent completed, allegedly belonging to Akordor.
Mr Ghattie said Addo admitted receiving GH¢90,000 from Akordor to support a building project at his father’s house. He added that Akordor’s savings with a credit union increased significantly to about GH¢10,000 every month during the period following her promotion, alongside large deposits into Addo’s mobile money account.
He disclosed that an audit conducted by the company revealed that Akordor had developed a system that allowed her to bypass accounting for closed sales sessions, with the audit establishing that over GH¢5 million had been stolen.
Counsel for the accused, Mr Emile Atsu Agbakpe, prayed the court to order the release of keys to a family-owned building where Akordor resided before her arrest, stating that other occupants had been stranded. The court directed the prosecution to look into the matter to avoid inconvenience to the occupants.
The case has been adjourned to April 27, 2026.
