An accountant, Edward Unicorn, aged 32, has been sentenced to two years in prison by the Adentan Circuit Court for dishonestly appropriating GHC40,433.50 from the Ghana Police Church.
In court, Unicorn admitted to using the funds for betting and requested bail, expressing a desire to work and repay the money.
Unicorn was charged with stealing. He pled guilty with an explanation.
“I spent the money by playing Aviator (an online betting game). I staked it and never won. I was desperate to win but lost.
“I was addicted to Aviator, so my brother referred me to a doctor at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. I called him twice and I never went to see him. I put in the GHC40,000 bit by bit. I was desperate to win,” he explained.
The court presided over by Mrs. Sedinam Awo Kwadam, convicted him on his own plea.
It directed that Unicorn should pay GHC5,000, and an amount of GHC2,775 retrieved from the accused be given to the Ghana Police Church.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Anim Darko, said the complainant is a police officer and the chaplain of the church.
It said Unicorn worked as the accountant for the church.
In June 2024, Unicorn was employed by the church and was responsible for the collection of cash from ushers who received the offertory in church.
He also oversaw the management of the church’s mobile money accounts, preparation of payroll, and monthly reports to the Financial Committee.
The prosecution said that because of the position he held at the church, he always had access to the church’s mobile money, enabling him to have direct control over the cash flow into the church account.
