25-year-old woman on bail over GH¢220,000 theft allegations

The Accra Circuit Court, under the supervision of Her Honour Basilia Adjei-Tawiah, has admitted Sharon Abayateye, a 25-year-old client manageress, to bail in connection with allegations that she misappropriated more than GH¢220,000 belonging to her employer.

She is facing a charge of stealing under Section 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). Abayateye entered a plea of not guilty when she was re-arraigned on September 16, 2025, following the submission of a revised charge sheet by the prosecution.

The accused, said to have diverted funds belonging to Krystle Ababio, Chief Executive Officer of Vexxels Garment located at Dansoman, had first appeared before the court on September 10, 2025. 

At that appearance, she also pleaded not guilty and was placed in custody.

During her second court session on September 16, Chief Inspector Daniel Appiah-Ofori, leading the prosecution, presented an amended charge sheet and requested that the original charge be withdrawn. 

The judge agreed, struck out the earlier charge, and took a fresh plea from the accused, who once again denied the allegation.

That same morning, the accused reportedly brought GH¢20,000 as part-payment of the alleged stolen funds. Counsel for the defence acknowledged the payment and urged the court to consider granting bail under lenient terms. 

However, the prosecution opposed the bail request, citing new information, and the court ordered that Abayateye remain in custody.

At her third appearance on September 25, defence lawyers renewed the bail application. This time the prosecution did not object, and the court granted bail in the sum of GH¢100,000. 

The conditions include two sureties one must be a salaried worker with a minimum monthly income of GH¢2,000, and the other must provide justification.

Additionally, Abayateye must surrender all her travel documents, including her passport, to the court registry and report weekly to the police investigator. The case was adjourned to November 13, 2025, with instructions for the prosecution to file disclosures.

Background to the case

Court documents state that Krystle Ababio employed Abayateye in September 2024 as a customer service officer, entrusting her with partial responsibility for company finances.

On September 5, 2025, Ababio reportedly received a complaint on Instagram from a client who claimed to have paid GH¢64,901.96 for dresses but never received them. 

When confronted, the accused denied any knowledge of the transaction. However, Ababio later noticed that the mobile money number on the company’s payment vouchers had been altered.

Investigations revealed that Abayateye had used two different SIM cards one in her own name and another registered under the name Patience Frimpong Ankomah to divert funds. 

It was discovered that GH¢223,858.05 in payments had been channeled through the SIM card registered in the latter’s name.

In her cautioned statement during investigations, the accused allegedly admitted to misappropriating part of the money. She was subsequently charged and brought before the court.