The salesman, who has been also charged with two counts of stealing, has pleaded not guilty
Samuel Kwasi Hlo, a salesman accused of misappropriating GH¢111,591 belonging to Auto Avenue Enterprise, has appeared before the Circuit Court in Dansoman, Accra.
Hlo is also alleged to have stolen auto parts worth GH¢144,313 from the company.
The salesman, who has been charged with two counts of stealing, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, granted the accused bail set at GH¢300,000 with three sureties. Two of the sureties must be public servants earning no less than GH¢5,000.
Additionally, the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, and one must justify the bail with immovable property backed by title deeds equivalent to the bail sum.
The accused is also required to deposit his Ghana Card at the court registry and report once a week.
The court directed the prosecution to file disclosures and witness statements and adjourned the case to March 7.
Case Background
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Kwadwo Aboagye, stated that the complainant, Makella Amevenu, is the Managing Director of Auto Avenue Enterprise, a company that deals in assorted auto parts at the Dansoman Exhibition Roundabout.
According to the prosecution, the accused, Samuel Kwasi Hlo, had been employed as a salesman at the company for the past seven years.
In 2023, Hlo allegedly brought his son to work at the company without informing or obtaining permission from management. This led to a misunderstanding between the accused and the company’s driver, resulting in Hlo’s suspension.
Chief Inspector Aboagye further stated that an audit of the company’s accounts was conducted in 2021 and 2023.
The audit revealed that stock valued at GH¢111,591.40, issued to the accused, could not be traced or accounted for. Additionally, cash payments from customers amounting to GH¢144,313.90 were missing, and the accused failed to account for them.
Following these findings, the accused was arrested and handed over to the Dansoman police. He was later granted police inquiry bail to facilitate a reconciliation of the accounts with management.
During the audit process, the prosecution stated that the accused realized the extent of the misappropriated funds.
However, Hlo subsequently jumped bail and went into hiding. His surety was then served with a forfeiture notice, compelling him to produce the accused.
Eventually, the surety complied and presented Hlo to the authorities.