A sales executive in Ghana has been accused of stealing pharmaceutical drugs worth more than GH¢3.7 million (about $620,000) from his employer, East Cantonment Pharmacy, and selling them to other dealers. He has been charged with eight counts of stealing and money laundering and has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
According to the prosecution, Edward Danso Wiafe, the sales executive, was responsible for looking for customers for the company and supplying them with pharmaceutical products. Some of the customers he claimed to have supplied drugs to included major hospitals and clinics in the country, such as Korle Bu Medical Stores, University of Ghana Medical Centre, and 37 Military Hospital Chemist.
However, the prosecution said that the company discovered that these customers never received the drugs as claimed by Wiafe and that he had diverted them to other persons who were not known to the company. The company also found out that between 2021 and 2022, Wiafe took delivery of various drugs worth GH¢3,760,167.38 for distribution to the customers, but failed to account for them.
The company reported the matter to the police, who arrested Wiafe and found a wire mesh production machine at his house. Wiafe admitted that he used part of the proceeds from the sale of the stolen drugs to acquire the machine at a price of $68,000. He also said that he used GH¢50,000 to buy land in Berekuso in the Eastern Region and invested GH¢1,500,000 in road construction works and toilet projects.
The prosecution also said that Wiafe mentioned Emmanuel Kofi Kyei, a businessman and a dealer in pharmaceutical products, as one of the persons who bought the diverted drugs worth GH¢270,000 from him. Kyei was also arrested and charged with dishonestly receiving drugs worth GH¢15,000. He denied buying the quantity of drugs stated by Wiafe.
The case is one of the latest examples of the problem of drug theft and diversion in Ghana, which poses a threat to public health and safety. According to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, the country loses about $200 million annually due to drug theft and diversion. Society has called for stricter measures to prevent and punish such crimes, such as enhancing security at drug storage facilities, improving drug supply chain management, and imposing stiffer sanctions on offenders.
The Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020, which caters for all issues of money laundering in Ghana, provides for a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment or a fine of not less than 100 penalty units or both for anyone convicted of money laundering. The Act also establishes the Financial Intelligence Centre, which is responsible for receiving, analysing, and disseminating information on money laundering and terrorist financing activities.
The court presided over by Jojo Amoah Hagan granted Wiafe bail in the sum of GH¢2 million with two sureties, one to be justified with landed properties valued of which must not be less than the bail sum. Kyei was also granted bail in the sum of GH¢15,000 with two sureties. The case has been adjourned to July 14, 2021.
Source: GhanaWeb
