The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Upper Manya Krobo District Assembly in the Eastern Region, Hon Emmanuel Kwesi Lawer, locked three staff in his office over an alleged embezzlement of GH¢67,900, before handing them over to the police.
Barely two months into office, the DCE, also a long-serving assembly member, uncovered financial discrepancies in the Assembly’s Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
An internal audit and investigation later revealed that the District Finance Officer (DFO), Accounts Officer, and Revenue Superintendent had allegedly misappropriated funds from last year through early 2025.
The DCE invites these three officers to his office on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, for questioning. During the meeting, he demanded the submission of three General Counterfoil Receipt (GCR) booklets suspected to be tied to the missing money.
The DFO refused to comply, the DCE reportedly locked them in his offices and called in the police.
This bold intervention led to the immediate recovery of GH¢67,900. The breakdown is as follows.
The Revenue Superintendent refunded GH¢5,800, the Accounts Officer returned GH¢27,600, and the DFO, under police escort, withdrew GH¢34,500 from his personal account in Koforidua the next day to complete the reimbursement.
The recovered amount has since been paid into the Assembly’s main account.
The police are still conducting investigations into the matter.
The DCE Emmanuel Kwasi Lawer reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
He pledged zero tolerance for corruption and announced plans for a comprehensive audit to uncover and recover any further losses.
