A trader, Constance Gyasi Nimako, also known as Maa Adwoa, has been remanded into custody by the Accra Circuit Court after allegedly spending and laundering nearly GH¢800,000 that was mistakenly transferred into her Ecobank account.
According to court proceedings, GH¢800,000 meant for a business transaction was erroneously deposited into Nimako’s account on February 6, 2025.
Instead of reporting the error, Nimako is accused of misappropriating GH¢770,500 of the funds. She reportedly transferred GH¢300,000 to her mother’s Fidelity Bank account, moved GH¢400,000 into her own GCB Bank account, and withdrew GH¢70,500 in cash.
The case was brought to light after the complainant—a CEO with accounts at Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG) and Ecobank—attempted to move company funds into his personal account for a business deal. Due to a mix-up, the transfer was mistakenly made to Nimako’s account. By the time the error was discovered and a reversal initiated, most of the funds had already been spent.
When approached by authorities, Nimako allegedly refused to cooperate, insulted the police, and went into hiding. She was later arrested in Kumasi, while her mother, Cecilia Gyasi, was taken into custody in Accra.
Both women have pleaded not guilty. Nimako faces charges of theft and money laundering, while her mother is charged with abetment and assisting in money laundering.
The presiding judge, Mrs. Susan Eduful, denied bail to Nimako due to the seriousness of the offenses and concerns about her potential flight risk. However, bail was granted to her mother, set at GH¢500,000 with two sureties, each earning at least GH¢2,000 per month.
Investigations indicate that Nimako informed her mother about the unexpected funds and instructed her to withdraw GH¢300,000 from the amount transferred to her Fidelity account. Nimako has claimed the money came from an unidentified foreign company and that she had used it to purchase goods, which have yet to be delivered.
Authorities are continuing efforts to trace and recover the remaining GH¢29,778.47.
The case is scheduled to return to court on July 7, 2025.
