William Ato Essiean and Dr Kwadwo Ayisi Ahwireng
Two directors of Accent Financial Services have reported themselves to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to assist in investigations into ongoing financial scam allegedly committed by the financial institution.
The directors are Dr Kwadwo Ayisi Ahwireng and Elizabeth Dzoemeko.
The rest of the directors who are yet to report themselves include Eric Kweku Osei, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company; Benone Yaw Asihene, Joseph Morrison, Lawrence Otoo, Oheneba Osei, Eric Kwaku Osei and Bukari Amadu Malam.
Several other victims of the alleged scam have reported to the police.
Madam Elizabeth Dzoemeko, who reportedly told the police that she was not one of the directors but just an employee of the company, has been accused of persuading many people into the scam.
Under the pretext of operating a financial institution, officials of Accent Financial Services promised their clients an interest of 33.5 per cent on their investments but they failed to deliver on the promise after collecting their money.
Reports from the police indicated that about 20 victims had earlier reported the matter after losing over GH¢10 million.
Some of them said they invested between GH¢100,000 and GH¢2 million.
DAILY GUIDE has gathered that most of the victims are bankers, retired bankers, security personnel, government officials, among other workers.
One of the victims (name withheld), a retired banker, who allegedly used his retirement lump sum package to invest in the company died out of shock.
Reports say the figure could rise because many people had fallen victim to the scam of the financial institution, which was established by William Ato Essien, the man behind the defunct Capital Bank.
Mr. Essien has already been dragged to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) by some clients of the distressed company, who are demanding their money.
A police source at the CID informed DAILY GUIDE that victims called to verbally lodge their complainant were asked to officially present a petition to that effect.
Report
Earlier when the paper contacted the director in charge of the Commercial Crime Unit, Chief Superintendent Faustina Andoh-Kwofie over the issue, she said her outfit in September last year received several complaints from a number of the victims that one Elizabeth Dzoemeko, an official of the company, persuaded them to invest with the company for 33.5 per cent interest every three months.
The victims said Ms Dzoemeko told them that Accent Financial Services was a viable entity, which gave prompt returns on investments on demand.
However, when the time was due for the victims to claim their principal and the accrued interests, the management wrote to them to give them a one-month period to settle them.
After the one-month period elapsed, the victims claimed they visited the premises of the company located at the Airport residential area several times but none of the directors could be found.
Police Action
Chief Superintendent Andoh Kwofie disclosed that a team of investigators, who were handling the case, visited the premises of the financial institution several times but could not get in touch with any of them.
She said, recently, when the personnel visited the premises, they discovered that the building had been re-painted.
The police chief said the landlord told police personnel that the building was rented by Accent Financial Services which vacated the building due to the expiration of the rent.
“The mobile numbers of the directors have since not been going through,” she added.
(lindatenyah@gmail.com)
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey