Sales Assistant Stole Over GH¢353,000 from Boss in Marriage and Kidney Scam — Court Orders Full Refund

An Adentan Circuit Court has handed down a conviction against a sales assistant who admitted to stealing GH¢353,471.50 from his employer, with the money allegedly funnelled into an elaborate scam involving promises of marriage and a fabricated medical emergency. Alfred Mensah pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing and has been ordered to fully refund the stolen amount alongside a GH¢12,000 fine.

Should Mensah fail to meet the financial obligations set by the court, he faces a two-year custodial sentence. The case, however, does not end with him — five other individuals are currently standing trial on related charges including abetment of crime and dishonestly receiving stolen property.

Those before the court include trader Mary Asantewaa, pastor Emmanuel Okyere, Samuel Dika, Miriam Okai, and 59-year-old trader Vida Yeboah. All five pleaded not guilty and were each granted bail in the sum of GH¢353,471 with justification.

According to Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, who is prosecuting the case, the complainant, Gideon Offei Tieku, runs a plumbing materials business at Lakeside and Kantamanto, and had employed Mensah for seven years. Between 2024 and 2025, the businessman noticed unexplained financial losses before discovering that Mensah had collected plumbing materials worth GH¢56,000 from a business partner without making any payment.

Following his arrest on 17th June 2025, Mensah confessed to the theft, claiming he had transferred the funds to Asantewaa and Dika under the impression they were helping him secure a bride. Police investigations revealed the scam took a darker turn when Mensah was told the supposed bride had developed a kidney condition requiring urgent medical treatment in South Africa — prompting him to send even more money. All transfers were reportedly made through Asantewaa's mobile money account.

Further enquiries led to the arrest of Asantewaa, who allegedly implicated Dika. Investigators subsequently identified Okyere, Okai, and Yeboah as recipients of portions of the stolen funds. The trial of the remaining accused persons is ongoing.