An accountant is currently facing a two-year jail term for stealing GHC40,433.50 from church coffers. Edward Unicorn, who worked with the Ghana Police Church, confessed to misappropriating the church’s funds on online betting.
The 32-year-old accountant was employed by the church in June 2024. He was responsible for collecting cash from ushers, managing the church’s mobile money accounts, preparing payroll, and submitting monthly reports to the Financial Committee.
“I spent the money by playing Aviator (an online betting game). I staked it and never won. I was desperate to win but lost.” – Edward explained
“I was addicted to Aviator, so my brother referred me to a doctor at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. I called him twice and I never went to see him. “I put in the GHC40,000 bit by bit. I was desperate to win.” – he admitted
The Adentan Circuit Court presided over by Sedinam Awo Kwadam, convicted the accountant on his own plea after his admission of guilt. Edward Unicorn has been sentenced to two years in prison, he has also been ordered to pay GHC5,000 and an amount of GH₵2,775 retrieved from the accused has been given to the Ghana Police Church.
Per a report by GNA, the court heard that on August 17, 2024, at about 1900 hours, Unicorn left work and carried the church Mobile Money phone with him.
According to the prosecution, Unicorn proceeded to Jerry’s Pub and met a friend, Wishwell Kofi Yorke, for a drink.
Unicorn then hired two Nigerian prostitutes, and then went to the Purple Pub in Osu to continue their fun.
The prosecution said Unicorn made a GHC136 payment from the church Momo account at the Purple Pub between 0100 hours on August 17, 2024, and 0722 hours on August 18, 2024.
Investigations found that on August 18, 2024, Unicorn deposited GHC18,303 to Wishwell Kofi Yorke’s Momo account and GHC13,588 to his personal Momo account, and used all of it to play Aviator, an online betting game.
The prosecutor said Unicorn, knowing he would be caught, pretended to have a mental condition, and was taken to the Ghana Police Hospital before being directed to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, where he was treated and discharged.
It said that on August 19, 2024, the complainant detected the theft and lodged a complaint with the East Legon Police Station.
The court heard that Unicorn was arrested and remanded for further investigations.
The prosecution said that following the reconciliation of the church’s accounts, it was discovered that on July 14, 2024, only GHC5,000 of the GHC7,000 collected as offertory was deposited into its bank account.
Also, the prosecution said that on July 21, 2024, an offering of GHC6,500 was collected, but only GHC6,000 was deposited into the church’s account.
The prosecution said Unicorn failed to account for a second offertory of GHC3,143.50 collected on August 18, 2024.
