A 40-year-old security guard, Samuel Nortey Botchway, has been sentenced to seven years in prison by an Accra Circuit Court for stealing €5,600 from the Head Office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Accra.
Botchway pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful entry and three counts of stealing. The presiding judge, Mr. Isaac Addo, ruled that the sentences should run concurrently. Although the court considered Botchway’s status as a first-time offender, his guilty plea, and his partial repayment of the stolen funds, it emphasized the calculated nature of the crime and the serious breach of trust involved.
According to Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, who led the prosecution, the victim, Head of Administration at NHIS, had stored €5,740 in a drawer before traveling abroad. Upon his return, he noticed several amounts missing: €3,300 on May 17, €1,300 on May 24, and €1,000 on June 19, 2025. This left only €40 in the drawer.
Suspecting ongoing theft, the victim installed a hidden CCTV camera in his office. Footage from the camera later confirmed that Botchway was responsible. The security guard was subsequently arrested and admitted to the crime.
Investigations revealed that Botchway had stolen a universal access card from the Head of Security, which he used to enter the office and commit the theft on multiple occasions. He returned GH¢10,000 to the police but confessed to using the remaining funds to refurbish his room, buy household appliances and clothing, pay school fees, and cover daily expenses.
In sentencing, the court stated that the deliberate planning involved, and the betrayal of the NHIS’s trust, warranted a custodial sentence to serve as a deterrent to others in positions of trust.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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