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Man jailed 10 years for defrauding
niece and nephew
Bawku (U/E), July 19, GNA - Amos Atia Aweema, a 45 year-old
farmer, who took advantage of his sister's death and
defrauded her children of their share of the deceased's
social security benefits have been sentenced to 10 years'
imprisonment by the Bawku circuit court.
He was alleged to have collected over GH(4,200 (42 million
cedis) meant for two of the beneficiaries for his personal
use.
He pleaded guilty and the court, presided over by Mr. Alex
Owusu Ofori, convicted him on his plea.
Prosecuting, Police Inspector Augustus Yirenkyi told the
court that the accused is a junior brother to Miss Rosina
Lamisi Aweema, a nurse, who died in February 2005, and lived
with two of his sister's children at Binaba near Zebilla.
He said the deceased gave directive that her SSNIT benefits
should be shared among her three children and her junior
brother Amos.
Each of the children was to take GH(2,100 (21 million cedis)
while Amos Atia was to take GH(420 (4.2 million cedis).
Inspector Yirenkyi said in October last year, Amos went to
the SSNIT office branch at Bawku together with the three
children to collect their individual cheques.
He said Amos convinced one of her sister's children, Apidogo,
who is an illiterate and had no bank account, to give him
her cheque and that of her younger brother to be deposited
into his account at the ADB branch at Bawku.
Amos Atia withdrew GH(200 (two million cedis) and gave it to
Apidogo, with the explanation that the bank officials had
asked that they should come for the remaining amount in four
days' time.
On the appointed time, Apidogo could not go because she was
in labour prior to having a baby. But after delivery in
November, she asked her uncle that they should go to the
bank for the money but Amos refused.
Apidogo lodged a complaint at the SSNIT office and was
directed to the Commission on Human Rights and
Administrative Justice whose officials invited Amos on three
occasions but he failed to show up.
GNA
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