An accountant who misappropriated GHC40,433.50 from the Ghana Police Church has been sentenced to two years in prison by the Adentan Circuit Court.
Edward Unicorn, 32, admitted in court that he used the stolen funds to place bets on an online game called Aviator. He requested bail to work and repay the amount.
Unicorn pleaded guilty but provided an explanation, revealing that he had a gambling addiction which led him to spend the money.
Despite his brother’s referral to a doctor at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, he never sought help.
The court, presided over by Mrs. Sedinam Awo Kwadam, convicted Unicorn based on his plea.
He was ordered to pay GHC5,000 and return GHC2,775, which was recovered, to the Ghana Police Church.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Anim Darko, stated that the complainant is a police officer and the church’s chaplain.
Unicorn, who was employed by the church in June 2024, was responsible for collecting offertory, managing mobile money accounts, preparing payroll, and reporting to the Financial Committee.
Due to his position, Unicorn had direct access to the church’s mobile money account. On August 17, 2024, he left work with the church’s Mobile Money phone, visited Jerry’s Pub, met a friend, and hired two Nigerian prostitutes. He then went to Purple Pub in Osu, where he made a GHC136 payment from the church’s account.
Investigations revealed that on August 18, 2024, Unicorn transferred GHC18,303 to his friend Wishwell Kofi Yorke’s mobile money account and GHC13,588 to his own account, using it all for betting.
Unicorn initially feigned a mental condition and sought treatment at the Ghana Police Hospital before being transferred to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
However, on August 19, 2024, the theft was discovered by the complainant, who reported it to the East Legon Police Station.
Following an audit, it was found that on July 14, 2024, only GHC5,000 of GHC7,000 collected as offertory was deposited into the church account.
Similarly, on July 21, 2024, only GHC6,000 of GHC6,500 collected was deposited, and a second offertory of GHC3,143.50 collected on August 18, 2024, was unaccounted for.
