The
chief
of
Banka,
a
farming
community
in
the
Asante
Akyem
District
of
the
Ashanti
Region,
has
been
sentenced
to
a
jail
term
for
three
months,
and
fined
for
stealing
community
funds
amounting
to
$150,000.
The
65-year-old
chief,
Osabarima
Twiampomah
III,
was
convicted
by
the
Accra
High
Court,
presided
over
by
Justice
Comfort
K.
Tasiame,
on
Tuesday,
July
23,
2024.
Following
a
thorough
investigation
that
revealed
his
involvement
in
financial
misconduct.
Upon
investigation,
it
was
discovered
that
the
chief
had
embezzled
$150,000
provided
by
the
gold
mining
company
Gulf
Coast
Resources
Company
Ltd.
as
part
of
their
corporate
social
responsibility
obligations.
Osabarima
Twiampomah
III
was
sentenced
to
serve
three
months
in
prison
and
fined
2,000
penalty
units,
equivalent
to
GH¢24,000.
During
the
sentencing,
Justice
Tasiame
stated
that
if
the
convict
fails
to
pay
the
fine,
he
will
serve
a
five-year
prison
term.
Reports
indicated
that
the
chief
had
seized
the
funds
and
denied
his
community
the
needed
development.
Initially,
Osabarima
Twiampomah
III
denied
receiving
the
$150,000
cheque
earmarked
for
a
ten-year
development
plan.
However,
he
later
confessed
to
Chief
Osagyefuo
Amoatia
Ofori
Panin
of
Akyem
Abuakwa
in
November
2021
that
he
had
indeed
received
the
funds.
Despite
pleading
not
guilty,
the
prosecution,
led
by
State
Attorney
Watkins
Adamah,
presented
three
witnesses
who
testified
against
him.